Roughly nine months after his surprise departure from “Saturday Night Live,” Bowen Yang is set to made his grand return to the spotlight. On Tuesday, it was announced that the actor and comedian will make his Broadway debut in the smash comedy “Oh, Mary!” on Sept. 15. He’ll portray Civil War-era first lady Mary Todd Lincoln alongside a cast that includes Phillip James Brannon, Barrett Foa and Bianca Leigh.In a short video shared on his Instagram account, Yang can be seen in a men’s room where the phrase “I don’t think so, honey” ― a nod to his “Las Culturistas” podcast ― is written on a mirror in red lipstick. Soon, the phrase changes to “I don’t Linc so, honey” as Yang reemerges in full costume as Mary Todd Lincoln. In an email statement sent to HuffPost, Yang praised Tony winner Cole Escola, who wrote “Oh, Mary!” and originated the role of Mary Todd Lincoln, for having created a “deranged and profound masterpiece.” “I will spend the rest of my life thanking them for the best Broadway debut a cis gay guy with limited singing ability could ask for,” he quipped. Bowen Yang will portray Civil War-era first lady Mary Todd Lincoln in Broadway’s “Oh, Mary!” in September. Daniel RampullaThough Yang has yet to appear on Broadway, he’s become closely associated with New York’s theater community after a supporting role in the two-part film adaptation of “Wicked.” Earlier this year, he and his “Las Culturistas” co-host Matt Rogers joined the creative team of the musical “Titaníque” as co-producers. And James Scully ― who portrayed Yang’s character’s love interest, Charlie, in the 2022 romantic comedy “Fire Island” ― was in the original Broadway cast of “Oh, Mary!” in the role of Mary’s Teacher. Yang will join a series of buzzy A-listers who have succeeded Escola in the role of Mary Todd Lincoln. Others have included Jane Krakowski, Maya Rudolph and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” veteran Jinkx Monsoon. Actor and comedian Meg Stalter, best known for her portrayal of Kayla on HBO’s “Hacks,” is Broadway’s current Mary Todd Lincoln. Yang, on right, made his final “SNL” appearance on Dec. 20, 2025, in an episode hosted by his “Wicked” co-star Ariana Grande that featured Cher as a musical guest. NBC via Getty ImagesA five-time Emmy nominee, Yang surprised fans in December of last year when he confirmed his midseason exit from “SNL” after seven seasons as a full-time cast member. He made his final appearance on the show on Dec. 20 in an episode hosted by his “Wicked” co-star Ariana Grande and featuring Cher as a musical guest. In a June chat with Rachel Sennott for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series, Yang acknowledged he’d initially planned to depart “SNL” after Season 50, which wrapped in May 2025. He said the show’s creator, Lorne Michaels, convinced him to extend his run through the middle of Season 51.“I never played the dad or the straight-man teacher,” he explained, when asked about why he’d chosen to leave the show. “I was always there as the seasoning, and I’m like, ‘That’s great. I’m so lucky. I can’t believe I have a steady job in comedy. I will cherish it for the rest of my life.’ And I just felt like it was the right time.”Speaking to New York Magazine in an interview published Tuesday, Yang said he planned to put a more “masculine” spin on the character of Mary Todd Lincoln than his predecessors, adding: “Mary having a complete delusion about her skills versus how other people perceive her feels very male to me in a way I relate with.”