Bowen Yang, recently departed from "Saturday Night Live," is set to make his Broadway debut in the new play "Oh, Mary!" Yang will portray the central character, Mary Todd Lincoln, in a limited 12-week engagement scheduled to begin Tuesday, September 15.
The comedian announced the move on Instagram, sharing a video of himself in costume as the former First Lady. Yang described the role as a "shocking career move," telling Vulture that he felt the character's "complete delusion about her skills versus how other people perceive her feels very male to me, in a way that I relate with." The show's director, Sam Pinkleton, indicated that Yang's portrayal will be "particularly intense" and that his Mary "might be a real viper. She will be very strong."
Yang's transition to Broadway follows his unexpected exit from "Saturday Night Live" in December 2025. The "Wicked" star, who joined the sketch comedy show for its 45th season in 2019, left mid-season. An insider told The Post at the time that the departure was Yang's choice and that "people have no idea what is really going on." Yang himself posted an emotional message on Instagram, stating he "loved working at SNL, and most of all i loved the people," and that the show taught him "the value in showing up anyway when people make it worthwhile."
Yang revealed that he was initially offered the role in "Oh, Mary!" the previous summer but declined due to his "SNL" commitments. He explained to Vulture that while he felt he "should leave 'SNL,'" he missed the show shortly after his departure. Yang likened his current transitional phase in life to a character's desire to return to something they did not enjoy, but insisted his "SNL" experience was positive, noting he was "trapped by my boredom" during this career shift.
In June, Yang had openly discussed his struggles adjusting after leaving "Saturday Night Live," admitting on the "Therapuss" podcast that he felt "chopped, clapped … I'm done in this town" and anticipated being in that mood for a while.