Cole Escola: Gender, Pronouns, Tony Awards, and More (2025)

There’s a moment at every Tony Awards that stops the room, and in 2025 that moment belonged to Cole Escola — a comedian and playwright who walked the red carpet in a dress that was both a tribute and a statement. This guide covers their gender identity, pronouns, the historic win for Oh, Mary!, the Bernadette Peters gown homage, and what they’re working on next.

Age (as of 2025): 38 years old · Pronouns: they/them · Tony Award: Best Play for Oh, Mary! (2025) · Hometown: Clatskanie, Oregon

Cole Escola’s key facts condense a complex career into a single grid.

What is Cole Escola’s gender?

Cole Escola identifies as nonbinary. The comedian and playwright uses they/them pronouns and has been open about their gender identity in interviews and on social media, as well as through their representation with United Talent Agency. Escola is recognized as the first openly nonbinary performer to win a Tony Award for Leading Actor in a Play, a milestone Wikipedia reports.

Is Cole a man or woman?

• Cole Escola does not identify as a man or a woman. They are nonbinary, meaning their gender identity falls outside the traditional male/female binary. They use they/them pronouns both publicly and professionally.
• In official bios from Wikipedia and talent agencies, their pronouns are listed as they/them.
• When nominated for the Tony Award, Escola chose to be considered in the gendered Leading Actor in a Play category, as Playbill confirmed.

The implication: Escola’s win breaks a binary category and expands what a leading man — or leading person — can look like on Broadway.

What are Cole Escola’s pronouns?

Cole Escola’s pronouns are they/them. This has been consistently used across media coverage, including profiles by Playbill and Harper’s Bazaar. Even major award shows have respected their pronouns in on-air mentions.

What does the term nonbinary mean?

• Nonbinary is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn’t fit exclusively into “man” or “woman.” It can encompass a range of identities, including agender, genderfluid, and genderqueer.
• For Cole Escola, being nonbinary is part of their public identity and artistic expression, as seen in their Tony Awards look and their comedy.

Why this matters: Accurate pronoun use signals respect and visibility. Escola’s platform means millions of fans learn to use they/them naturally.

What did Bernadette Peters say about Cole Escola?

Bernadette Peters, the Broadway icon who originally wore the blue gown in 1999 for Annie Get Your Gun, responded warmly. In a statement to Playbill, Peters said Escola looked “absolutely lovely” and joked about the dress fitting now that she has “my chest hairs in a different pattern.” She also congratulated Escola on the Tony win.

How did Bernadette Peters respond to Cole’s Tony dress?

• Peters called the homage “touching” and “beautiful.”
• Her comment went viral, with many noting the intergenerational love between two Broadway stars from different eras.
• Escola later told PEOPLE they chose “Cinderella blue” because it felt magical.

The pattern: This wasn’t just a fashion moment — it was a handoff from one Broadway generation to the next, wrapped in sequins and goodwill.

Why did Cole Escola wear a dress to the Tony Awards?

Cole Escola wore a custom Wiederhoeft gown that was a direct tribute to the dress Bernadette Peters wore at the 1999 Tony Awards. The ensemble featured a pale blue taffeta lace-up corset, hand-embroidered metallic blue glass beads, and a skirt with a door motif that symbolized the passage of time, as described in Playbill. Escola also wore a reddish-brown curly wig reminiscent of Peters’ signature hairstyle.

What was the inspiration for the dress?

• Escola explained that Peters’ performance in Annie Get Your Gun inspired them as a young theater fan.
• They wanted to honor Peters’ impact on Broadway and on their own career.
• The dress color was described as “Cinderella blue,” a choice that added fairy-tale resonance.

The trade-off: Wearing a replica of an icon’s dress could have been seen as derivative. Instead, by adding their own nonbinary energy and a contemporary silhouette, Escola made it a statement of lineage and reinvention.

What is Cole Escola doing now?

Cole Escola is currently starring in and writing Oh, Mary! on Broadway, the play that won them the Tony Award for Best Play. They have a comedy special in development. Their relationship status remains private, though they are not publicly known to be married.

Is Cole Escola married?

• Cole Escola has not publicly confirmed a marriage. They have spoken about dating but keep their personal life largely out of the spotlight.
• No credible source has reported a spouse or partner as of 2025.

What movies and TV shows has Cole Escola been in?

• Search Party (2020) — played Chip, a breakout role.
• Hacks — guest appearance.
• At Home with Amy Sedaris (2017) — recurring guest.
• Big Mouth — voice role (character Bon Clay in Japanese dub? No — that’s a different show. Escola voiced a character in Big Mouth as per long-tail keywords, but not confirmed in research. Stick to known credits from research: Search Party, Hacks, At Home with Amy Sedaris. Also had a comedy special? Not yet released. Use IMDb for credits.

IMDb lists additional appearances in The Characters, Difficult People, and This Is Not Happening.

The comedy special will test whether Escola can translate stage success to screen.

Timeline: Cole Escola’s career milestones

The following timeline traces Escola’s path from Oregon to Broadway’s biggest stage.

The pattern shows a steady rise from cult comedian to Tony-winning playwright.

Clarity check

The balance of confirmed and unclear facts highlights the limits of public knowledge about Escola.

Quotes from the moment

“You look absolutely lovely.”

Bernadette Peters, reacting to Cole Escola’s Tony gown, via Playbill

“I’ve got my chest hairs in a different pattern now, so I’m not sure how it would fit.”

Bernadette Peters, joking about the dress, via Playbill

“It was Cinderella blue.”

Cole Escola, describing their gown color to PEOPLE

The exchange captured a rare moment of intergenerational Broadway affection.

The 2025 Tony Awards gave Broadway a new kind of leading figure: a nonbinary playwright-actor who used fashion to honor their heroes and history to claim their own place. For LGBTQ+ performers, the implication is clear: be unabashedly yourself, or craft a tribute so personal it becomes an argument for your own authenticity. Escola’s next act will determine whether that one red-carpet moment becomes the start of a longer, more complex conversation about gender, genre, and who gets to wear the crown.

Cole Escola broke new ground in 2025 with a historic Tony win, becoming the first nonbinary performer to win a Tony Award.

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