Simu Liu Makes His Broadway Debut in Oh, Mary! — Ready to Be Marveled
Simu Liu will make his Broadway debut in the Tony-winning comedy Oh, Mary!, joining the Lyceum Theatre company as Mary’s Teacher for the run from Feb. 3 through Apr. 21, 2026 (ET). Best known for blockbuster screen roles, Liu says he’s pursued the part as a deliberate challenge — and as a chance to flex a different creative muscle on one of theater’s biggest stages.
A deliberate leap from screen to stage
Liu’s rise to international recognition has been shaped by a willingness to push himself into unfamiliar territory. From intense martial arts training for a major superhero role to dance rehearsals for a global hit comedy, he has repeatedly chased roles that demand new disciplines. The move to Broadway, he says, was motivated by the desire to tackle something that makes him nervous — and excited.
The role: Mary’s Teacher
In Oh, Mary! Liu plays Mary’s Teacher, a character that gives him a playful, romantic foil opposite the show’s lead figures. The play skewers the relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln during the Civil War era, and while it leans into absurdity and comedy, Liu appreciates the thread of historical elements woven through the material. He described the role as “really juicy and fun, ” a part that allowed him to explore comic timing and stage presence in ways that screen work does not.
Rehearsal approach and what makes theater different
Liu notes that physical prep for screen roles — stunts, fight choreography, intensive body work — is more straightforward for him than the full-body exposure of live theater. Onstage, every motion is visible to the audience with no close-ups or edits to hide behind. That visibility raises the stakes and requires discipline in voice, movement and pacing. Liu has theater experience from earlier independent productions in Canada, and he credits that background for giving him a realistic sense of the demands ahead.
Joining a celebrated company and sharing the stage
The run brings Liu into a company that has kept audiences laughing since the show moved to Broadway. He’ll perform alongside veteran stage performers who inhabit the show’s eccentric historical world, and he has spoken warmly about meeting the creative team. The role was one he sought out after seeing the production and connecting with the playwright and director during behind-the-scenes readings. That collaborative process led to an offer that he accepted with eager humility.
Timing and artistic momentum
Fresh from work on a high-profile franchise film, Liu said he didn’t want a long creative pause. Rather than resting on past successes, he views this moment as an opportunity to broaden his range. He emphasized an artist’s impulse to continue growing, noting that the chance to play a hunky romantic interest in a wildly funny play felt irresistible. For audiences, his arrival on Broadway signals an appetite for actors who move fluidly between screen and stage while seeking roles that stretch their craft.
What audiences can expect
Expect to laugh. Oh, Mary! has been described as uproarious and irreverent since its transfer to the Great White Way, and Liu’s addition promises more comic interplay and fresh energy. Whether audiences come for the historical skewering, the madcap humor, or to see a screen star tackling live theater, the production aims to deliver a loud, immediate theatrical experience that relies on timing, chemistry and full-bodied performance.
Simu Liu’s Broadway engagement runs Feb. 3 through Apr. 21, 2026 (ET), a stretch that will give theatergoers several weeks to judge how his film-to-stage transition lands under the Lyceum’s lights.
