Cole Escola's journey from YouTube to Broadway has been an unhinged & hilarious success

The hottest theater ticket in New York isn't what you'd expect it to be at the moment. It's not a Hamilton style historical epic—although it does dabble in history. It's Cole Escola's Oh, Mary! which the comedian wrote and stars in as Mary Lincoln Todd, a miserable alcoholic in the weeks leading up to her husband President Abraham Lincoln's (Conrad Ricamora) assassination.

To say too much would spoil many of the delights of the show which feels endlessly rewatchable. But that unhinged energy and biting sense of humor is what's made it a singular cultural moment—one that's been selling out seats, getting accolades from the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, and a Broadway transfer in June.