Parsippany Native, TV And Theater Star, Returns To Broadway

PARSIPPANY, NJ — A famous actress and singer, who hails from Parsippany, is making a return to the Broadway stage this month.

Jane Krakowski will be performing in the Broadway production of “Oh, Mary!” from Oct. 14 to Dec. 17.

The 56-year-old was born and raised in Parsippany by a theater director and a chemical engineer. She attended Parsippany High School, but didn't perform in any of the shows because she was working on a soap opera. She eventually studied at Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts.

The Emmy-winning actress is best known for her roles on “30 Rock” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” She’s also won a Tony Award for her performance in “Nine” and was nominated for two awards for her “Grand Hotel” and “She Loves Me” performances.

Some viewers might also recognize her from her film appearances, including “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Alfie,” and “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant,” to name a few.

This time, Krakowski will be portraying Mary Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s wife, in the production “Oh Mary!"

The Tony-award-winning dark comedy is about Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to her husband's assassination.

While the play, written by Cole Escola, is a stage play, Krakowski says the production has a “musical rhythm and flow,” adding that she thinks "all great comedies do."

“I will say I find ‘Oh Mary!’ so brilliantly written,” Krakowski said in a promotional video. “I couldn’t be more thrilled, I mean, I’m a real fangirl of the show, so to now be learning all of the little tidbits of how it was all created is so exciting for me.”

Joining Krakowski on stage will be John-Andrew Morrison, playing Mary’s ill-fated husband, and Cheyenne Jackson, playing Mary’s music teacher.

The production is held in the Lyceum Theatre, and tickets are available online now.