Keala Settle and Hal Fowler to star in Mary Todd Lincoln drama Mrs President in central London

Keala Settle and Hal Fowler will star in a new re-imagining of Mrs President at London’s Charing Cross Theatre.

Written by John Ransom Phillips with new dramaturgy and direction by Bronagh Lagan, Mrs President explores the personal and public struggles of Abraham Lincoln’s wife in the aftermath of his assassination.

Settle said today: “I was so struck by Mary’s story and by the profound human cost she endured. She was a woman whose identity for centuries was put in a box and whose legacy continues to be defined by other people’s ideologies. I’m excited by this opportunity to tell her story and connect with London audiences. I hope they will see both myself and Mary in a brand-new light.”

The show will run from 23 January to 8 March 2026, with press night on 27 January.

Lagan added: “In today’s polarised political climate, Mary Lincoln’s journey – navigating intense public scrutiny while balancing her roles as wife, mother, and political figure – feels profoundly resonant. Through her strength and vulnerability, Mrs President invites us to reconsider how society and media portray women, revealing the human cost of leadership and the resilience required to endure it.”

The creative team includes set and costume designer Anna Kelsey, video designer Matt Powell, sound designer Eammon O’Dwyer, lighting designer Derek Andersen, and movement director and associate director Sam Rayner.

The production is managed by Dan Weager, with casting by Jane Deitch, and general management by Katy Lipson and Kristie Winsen for Aria Entertainment.