Copyright Variety
Jane Krakowski felt a pang of jealousy the first time she saw “Oh, Mary!,” the hit comedy that imagines former first lady Mary Todd Lincoln as a deranged wannabe cabaret star. The Tony-winning actor, best known for offbeat television roles on “30 Rock” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” remembers whining to herself, “Why didn’t I come up with that for me?!” She sat in the “Oh, Mary!” audience another five times — since creator and original star Cole Escola departed the play, Mary’s bratty curls have been donned by Betty Gilpin, Tituss Burgess and Jinkx Monsoon — before becoming the latest boldface name to wear the heavy hoop skirt. Taking over the role has been a novel experience for the Broadway veteran of “Nine,” “She Loves Me” and “Company.” “I’m having a lot of firsts in my career,” Krakowski says backstage at the Lyceum Theatre. “It’s the first time I’ve been on the poster and the marquee.” A source of familiarity has been her “30 Rock” co-star Cheynne Jackson, who plays Mary’s Teacher (if you know, you know) in the gonzo play set in the days before Lincoln’s assassination. Jackson, scrunched in the corner of Krakowski’s well-decorated dressing room, believes they make a good comedic duo because they share a passion for committing to the bit. “Tina Fey always used to say, ‘Comedy is serious business,’” Jackson says of their “30 Rock” boss. “People in comedies don’t think they’re in comedies. That’s what I love about Jane’s Mary and what I’m trying to do. Never wink.” Jane, how did you get cast as Mary? Krakowski: I’m assuming they knew I was a super fan. I had just worked with the director Sam Pinkleton on Sondheim’s “Here We Are” in London. You know when someone is going to propose to you, and they ask around, like, “If I propose, would she say yes?” Sam gave me these eyes. I was like, “If you ask me, I would say yes.” Cheyenne, how did you end up as Mary’s Teacher? Jackson: I was about to do “La Cage aux Folles” with Sam at Pasadena Playhouse. He was like, “You should come see ‘Oh, Mary!’” I don’t do drugs anymore, but I felt like I was high after I saw the show. When Sam called me, I thought he wanted me for Abraham. When he said Mary’s Teacher, I was like, “Really?” Now it’s my favorite part I’ve ever done. When did you two first meet? Jackson: We did the workshops of “Xanadu” before it went to Broadway [in 2007]. Then Jane got the pilot of “30 Rock,” so she couldn’t continue. But I was a fan. I loved her on “Ally McBeal.” I’d seen her on the West End. Krakowski: You did? Aw. Jackson: It was an immediate comfort. I was a queer kid from a poor town in Idaho with no running water. As soon as I got into theater, I gravitated towards girls like Jane who were ballsy, witty and a little naughty. How has your friendship informed your performances in “Oh, Mary!”? Krakowski: Cheyenne and I have shorthand. We’ve worked together many times, so we have an instant chemistry that is undeniable. [Laughs] Please put that in italics. The fast pace of this comedy is reminiscent of “30 Rock” in needing to be ahead of the joke. We eased into it very quickly. Do you see a connection between Mary Todd Lincoln and your “30 Rock” character Jenna Maroney? Krakowski: When the announcement came out, people were making references to Jenna being in “Oh Mary,” so I got the idea that’s people were seeing the crossover. I mean, Jenna is quite crazy and Mary is quite crazy in her wishes and dreams and desires, so I get that association. You ad-lib a “30 Rock” reference in the show. Whose idea was that? Krakowski: It was mine. It’s a nice Easter egg for the fans, and Sam was cool with it. I had another one that didn’t make it. Sam said no. [Laughs] Cheyenne, how did you memorize your character’s Shakespearean monologues? Jackson: I’ve never done any Shakespeare, and I wanted it to be something I never had to think about. The moment I said yes to this, I wrote out in longhand — that’s how I memorize lines — and started drilling, drilling, drilling. Jane, how do you prepare for such a physically demanding role? Krakowski: I added knee pads under Mary’s giant skirt because I’m up and down so much. The thing that surprises me every night is how heavy the dress is. We dance to Grace Jones and Ethel Merman to warm up, and it’s good to get used to the weight. How do you keep up energy for eight performances a week? Jackson: I don’t drink. I eat clean. I get as much sleep as I can. I take care of my body. Jane’s the same way; she’s hardcore. OK, maybe she has Champagne once in a while.
