Cole Escola’s first shot on Broadway has earned them one of the most coveted prizes in the theater world. At Sunday night’s Tony Awards, the star of “Oh, Mary!” scored the Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for their delightfully daffy depiction of Civil War-era first lady Mary Todd Lincoln.

Cole Escola accepts the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play award for "Oh, Mary!" from Sarah Paulson and Jean Smart during The 78th Annual Tony Awards on June 08, 2025. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

Cole Escola won the Tony for best actor in a play for their performance in the outlandish, ahistoric comedy “ Oh, Mary! ” This is Escola’s Broadway debut, and first Tony.