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Meg Stalter Addresses ‘Oh, Mary’ Absence A Week After Broadway Debut
Comedian and actress Meg Stalter has addressed her recent absence from Broadway's Oh, Mary!, revealing on Instagram that she has been battling bronchitis rather than skipping performances for any other reason. The clarification came after online speculation, including a Reddit thread claiming she had been spotted at a New York comedy club, which she firmly denied while explaining she has been too unwell to speak, let alone perform.
Stalter made her Broadway and Oh, Mary! debut at the Lyceum Theatre on 6 July and is scheduled to appear in the Cole Escola-written, Sam Pinkleton-directed dark comedy through to 12 September. During her time off, understudies Hannah Solow and Jackie Sanders have covered her role of Mary Todd Lincoln and that of Mary's Chaperone, with Stalter praising both as "incredible" and hoping to return to the stage this weekend.
In short
- Meg Stalter says bronchitis, not other reasons, caused her Broadway absence.
- She denied Reddit rumours of being seen at a comedy club.
- Understudies have covered her Oh, Mary! role; she hopes to return this weekend.
Explained simply
Meg Stalter is a comedian and actress who made her Broadway debut in "Oh, Mary!", a dark comedy that opened at the Lyceum Theatre in July. She plays Mary Todd Lincoln in the Cole Escola-written, Sam Pinkleton-directed production. Broadway is the highest level of theatre in the United States, so a debut role there is a significant career achievement.
Since opening in the show, Stalter has been absent from some performances. When main cast members cannot perform, understudy actors step in to cover their roles; Hannah Solow and Jackie Sanders have both performed in Stalter's absence. The show is designed to continue running regardless of which actors are performing at any given time.
Stalter's early absences generated online speculation and discussion among theatre fans about the reasons. In online theatre communities, cast absences and news about Broadway productions attract attention and discussion, particularly for debut performances.