Bianca Leigh, who made her Broadway debut in The Nap, is back on the Main Stem this season in Cole Escola's critically acclaimed new comedy Oh, Mary!, which offers a decidedly different take on the last few weeks in the life of Abraham Lincoln, including the burgeoning entertainment career of his wife Mary.
Leigh originated the roles of the ice-cream loving Louise (Mary's Chaperone) and the bartender Bill in the play's much-extended, hit Off-Broadway engagement at the Lucille Lortel, and she continues to add to the nightly hilarity in the show's Broadway debut, which is playing to 100 percent capacity crowds at the Lyceum Theatre. The hit production was just extended through 2025.
Leigh's other credits include Frannie Halcyon in Tales of the City: The Musical in concert at the Music Box Theatre, Time/Wind in Taylor Mac’s The Lily's Revenge, Tatiana in Trans Scripts, Part 1: The Women, Mary Ellen in the groundbreaking film Transamerica, and Dr. Rachel Sandow on Law & Order: SVU. She is also featured in Laverne Cox’s Netflix documentary Disclosure and can be heard on Audible’s recording of Chonburi International Hotel and Butterfly Club. Leigh's writings include "Orla" in Overheard: Fourteen Monologues, which was commissioned by the Breaking the Binary Festival.
In the interview below for the Playbill series How Did I Get Here—spotlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre—Leigh shares the performance of Oh, Mary! that caused her to laugh uncontrollably and her favorite flavor of ice cream.
Where did you train/study?
Bianca Leigh: Rutgers, Mason Gross School of the Arts.
Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made this instructor stand out?
The whole faculty was amazing, and I have to thank Kathryn Gately-Poole for shepherding a bunch of kids through Meisner—it couldn’t have been easy. The teacher who made the most impact on me, though, was Bill Esper. I had auditioned for Bill my senior year of high school. There were a bunch of kids in the lobby with portfolios, professional headshots and resumes, and there I was in jeans and a T-shirt, holding onto a worn, rolled-up script. Throughout my time there, Bill made it clear that he believed in me, even when some of the other teachers didn’t. I really needed that, and I’ll always be grateful.
How/when did you originally become involved with Oh, Mary!? What was your reaction when you found out the show would be transferring to Broadway?
I was asked to do a developmental table read in 2023. I’ve known Sam Pinkleton, the director, and Henry Russell Bergstein, the casting director, for years, so I felt very comfortable. We read the play twice, and I loved it. I knew there was something very special about the project, and about Cole, right away. And the character of Louise seemed to fit me like a glove. Ten months later, I got the offer.
I was thrilled to find out we were transferring to Broadway. We were called into a meeting at the producers’ offices and were given the news. We were all screaming and jumping up and down like little kids. After the meeting, we walked over and stood outside the Lyceum. It really is a gorgeous theatre.
Do you have a favorite moment in the show for Mary's Chaperone?
I love my first entrance: bursting through the double-doors in a total panic, an over-caffeinated Florence Nightingale. We need to get Louise some High Point. I also love that scene because four of us are in it.
Is the cast having as much fun performing the comedy as the audience is watching it?
I would say yes, we are definitely having a blast. How could you not? Cole has written a wonderful play that, despite all the silliness, has real heart. There are moments that will hit you over the head. Who doesn’t want to play that?
Can you share a favorite stage mishap from either this production or any other you have been part of?
Once, at the Lortel, I was jumping around during the saloon scene, and my hat fell off, revealing a wig that did not go with the character I was playing at that moment. It was like Mr. Potato Head had gotten into Mrs. Potato Head’s closet. I completely lost it, and so did the audience. I got the hat back on, but I couldn’t stop laughing. I knew my line was coming up, and I was like, “Oh, please let me be able to speak…!”
What is actually your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Having to pick a favorite anything sends me into a tizzy, so bear with me. I really do love a good vanilla! Häagen-Dazs had a limited edition vanilla years ago, so full of vanilla it had a bite when it went down your throat! Incredible. The folks at Van Leeuwen had a tasting party backstage recently at Oh, Mary!, and my new obsession is their flavor Ice Cream Cake, but my deli doesn’t have it. What’s with my love of limited editions?
Tell me about a time you almost gave up but didn’t.
A couple of years ago, I was thinking, “Maybe it’s just not going to happen.” I was determined to look at it straight in the face. My career had picked up momentum several times, but then it would slow down. COVID really threw a wrench into things—I was on a roll the year before! I had a perfectly good resume; I’d done lots of work with some very accomplished, talented people—some fairly high-profile stuff. But I couldn’t get over what I call "the hump." After a couple of weeks, I thought, “Oh, the heck with it. I’m a lifer! This is what I do. I’m not going anywhere. If I have to wait to play Old Rose in the 2045 remake of Titanic, so be it!” And not too long after that, I got Mary.
What do you consider your big break?
Oh, Mary!
is the biggest break I’ve had, for sure. It’s a once-in-a lifetime show
that I am damn lucky to be a part of; it’s changed my life. It’s
important to remember that there are several smaller breaks one gets
along the way to the big one. If those "mini breaks" don’t happen,
you’re not going to be in the right place at the right time—which is
absolutely essential. Cole brought me into Oh, Mary! because they had seen me in Transamerica when
they were 18! You never know who has seen you in something, and your
name’s been rattling around in the back of their head, when the perfect
role comes along, and they say, “You know who would be great for this?”
I’ve seen that happen so many times.
What is the most memorable day job you ever had?
The Haunted Castle at Six Flags Great Adventure. [laughs] I learned everything about makeup there (What is a zombie face but contour and highlight?), and it really honed my timing. Scaring people is really not so different from comedy.
Is there a person or people you most respect in your field and why?
There are so many. Patti LuPone has been a such a friend to Oh, Mary!, and is, of course, a legendary icon. Bette Midler, Whoopi Goldberg (another dear friend of the show), Lily Tomlin. I once said to my agent, “I don’t want to understudy anymore—unless it’s Beth Leavel.” [laughs] She’s brilliant. Bernadette Peters! Donna Murphy! Christine Ebersole! And I live for Holland Taylor. I once said to a casting director, “I like to think of myself as a young Holland Taylor…” He said, “You’re not so young…”
Tell me about a job/opportunity you really wanted but didn’t get. How did you get over that disappointment?
Many years ago, there was a part that had been cast solely from a recommendation; there were no auditions. I was pretty upset that I didn’t get to read for it. But I didn’t like that feeling, and I vowed to never indulge in it again. Of course, we all have moments of feeling left out or left behind, but I banish them. I’ve watched many of my peers blow up, and I celebrate their success. It’s not only the right thing to do, but giving credit where credit is due dispels any negativity immediately. Who has time for that? Be happy for your friends, and they will be happy for you when your time comes. And the person who got that role all those years ago? She was perfect for it. Casting directors know what they are doing.
What advice would you give your younger self or anyone starting out?
Lie about having waitress experience. Look at auditions as building blocks, not job interviews. Stick with it, one tape at a time, and the casting directors will get to know you, which is far more important than being perfect on a tape. Learn how to carry a tune even if you are not a singer, per se.
What do you wish you knew starting out that you know now?
I wish I knew that authenticity is more important than raw emotion, that if you’re sincere and specific, the audience will meet you halfway. Facial expressions are a valid form of communication. Mugging can be just as truthful as copious tears. You’re only as good as your scene partner.
What is your proudest achievement as an actor?
My work as a standardized patient working with medical schools. I participated in a training that my friend Isle facilitated, taking a rape kit in the ER. I played a victim of sexual assault. I was never prouder of my work.
Cole Escola in Oh, Mary!
Cole Escola and Bianca Leigh in Oh, Mary!
Conrad Ricamora and Cole Escola in Oh, Mary!
Conrad Ricamora and Tony Macht in Oh, Mary!
Cole Escola and Conrad Ricamora in Oh, Mary!
Cole Escola and James Scully in Oh, Mary!
Conrad Ricamora, Cole Escola, and Bianca Leigh in Oh, Mary!
Tony Macht, Cole Escola, Conrad Ricamora, and Bianca Leigh in Oh, Mary!
