Fact Check: Jinkx Monsoon Takes Over as Mary Todd Lincoln on Broadway Starting August 4
What We Know
Jinkx Monsoon, the acclaimed drag performer and winner of "RuPaul's Drag Race," has been confirmed to take over the role of Mary Todd Lincoln in the Broadway play Oh, Mary! starting on August 4, 2025. This engagement will last for a limited eight-week period, concluding on September 27, 2025. Monsoon's announcement was made during an appearance on The Today Show on June 18, 2025, where she expressed her excitement about joining the production, which has received critical acclaim and won two Tony Awards earlier that month (source-1, source-2).
The original star of the role, Cole Escola, will perform their final show on June 21, 2025, before Tituss Burgess returns to the role for a brief engagement until August 2, 2025. Monsoon will then step into the role after completing her run in Pirates! The Penzance Musical (source-3, source-4).
Analysis
The claim that Jinkx Monsoon will take over the role of Mary Todd Lincoln starting August 4 is accurate, but it is important to clarify the context of this engagement. Monsoon will indeed begin her role on that date, but she will only be performing for eight weeks, concluding on September 27, 2025. This detail is crucial as it emphasizes the limited nature of her engagement rather than suggesting a permanent takeover of the role.
The sources confirming this information are credible and include major outlets such as Deadline and TheaterMania, which are known for their coverage of Broadway news. The announcement was also made by Monsoon herself on a widely recognized platform, enhancing the reliability of the information (source-2, source-3).
However, the claim that she is taking over "on Broadway" does not specify that this is a limited engagement, which could lead to misunderstandings about the duration of her role. The phrasing of the original claim could mislead readers into thinking that Monsoon will be a permanent fixture in the production.
Conclusion
Verdict: False. While Jinkx Monsoon is indeed set to take over the role of Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh, Mary! starting August 4, 2025, the claim lacks clarity regarding the limited nature of her engagement, which lasts only eight weeks. This nuance is essential for an accurate understanding of her involvement in the production.
