Keala Settle to star in 'Mrs President' in London

Set during the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, Mrs President follows Mary as she suffers from immense grief and sets out to redefine her public image with the help of portraiture photographer Mathew Brady.

Summary

• The Greatest Showman star Keala Settle has been cast in Mrs President at Charing Cross Theatre
• The show tells the story of Mary Lincoln in the wake of her husband's assassination
• Performances begin in January 2026

Keala Settle, star of The Greatest Showman, Waitress and Sister Act, will star in a re-imagining of John Ransom Philips's Mrs. President in London in 2026. Performances begin at Charing Cross Theatre for six weeks from 23 January to 8 March 2026.

Settle will be joined by Hal Fowler (Les Misérables, Aspects of Love, Flowers for Mrs Harris) as Mathew Brady, one of the earliest celebrity/portraiture photographers in American history, in this psychological drama that looks at the passions and ambitions of Mary Lincoln, America’s First Lady.

The drama returns to the Charing Cross Theatre following its original London staging in January 2025. The fully transformed production is set during the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, with Mary suffering from immense grief and struggling with her mental health, She seeks out Brady to help her redefine her public image, which results in a journey of self-discovery.

Settle said: “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.”

Bronagh Lagan, who has re-imagined and directed the play, 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.”

Philips said: "History rarely grants women the right to define themselves — Mary Lincoln least of all. Her story deserves to be told not as rumour, spectacle, or judgment, but as the truth of a brilliant, wounded, and resilient woman who bore the human cost of a nation’s spotlight. Our collaboration with Bronagh, Keala, Hal, and the Aria Entertainment team finally gives Mary the truth and artistry she was denied."

The new creative team includes designer Anna Kelsey, lighting designer Derek Anderson, and sound designer Eamonn O’Dwyer.

Cole Escola's Oh, Mary!, which is also about the life of Mary Todd Lincoln, opens in the West End this December.

Check back for Mrs President tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk