Cole Escola: Gender, Pronouns, and Historic Tony Win

There are moments in theater history that crack open the door just a little wider. When Cole Escola walked up to accept the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in June 2025, they didn’t just take home a statue — they became the first openly nonbinary winner in the awards’ history.

Born: November 25, 1986 ·
Birthplace: Clatskanie, Oregon, USA ·
Profession: Comedian, actor, playwright ·
Pronouns: they/them/theirs ·
Notable work: Oh, Mary! (Pulitzer finalist) ·
Historic achievement: First nonbinary Tony winner (2025)

Seven key facts, one pattern: Cole Escola is reshaping Broadway’s relationship with gender identity.

What is Cole Escola’s gender?

Cole Escola pronouns and identity

• Cole Escola identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns — consistently reflected in professional profiles (Broadway.com profile).
• OPB article described them as the first nonbinary Tony winner, using they/them pronouns throughout.

Public statements on gender

Escola has spoken openly about being nonbinary. In a profile published August 2, 2024, The New Yorker profile noted their identity and pronouns. Their Tony acceptance speech also touched on inclusion, though Escola lets their work speak first.

The implication: for Escola, gender identity is a fact, not a campaign.

What did Bernadette Peters say about Cole Escola?

The tribute gown

At the 2025 Tony Awards, Cole Escola wore a dress widely recognized as a tribute to Broadway legend Bernadette Peters. The gown’s style echoed looks Peters has worn over her career. Escola’s choice was a nod to Peters’ influence and a statement of artistic kinship (Tony Awards official YouTube channel).

Peters’ response

As of this writing, Bernadette Peters has not issued a public statement regarding the tribute. This remains an area of uncertainty.

The catch: the fashion speaks, but the silence leaves the story incomplete.

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

The dress was a deliberate tribute to Bernadette Peters and an expression of Escola’s nonbinary identity. The New Yorker profile highlighted that Escola uses clothing to break gender binaries. Wearing a dress to the Tonys was both a personal choice and a public statement.

The pattern: identity and institutional categories remain misaligned.

What is Cole Escola doing now?

Current projects: Oh, Mary! on Broadway

Cole Escola is currently starring in their own play, Oh, Mary!, at the Lyceum Theatre in New York City. The show broke the Lyceum’s all-time box-office record in its first full week, earning more than $1 million (The New Yorker profile). The play was a finalist for the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama (Pulitzer Prizes official site).

Awards and recognition

Beyond the Tony, Escola has won a Drama Desk Award, Theatre World Award, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards (Broadway.com profile). Playbill article reported that they were the first openly nonbinary nominee for both Best Play and Best Actor in a Play.

The trade-off: with historic success comes pressure — Escola is now both an artist and a symbol for broader representation.

Is Cole Escola married?

Relationship status

Cole Escola keeps their personal life private. There is no public record of a spouse or marriage. This is consistent with their approach to media — Escola prefers to keep the focus on their work.

What this means: fans will have to respect that boundary.

Timeline: Cole Escola’s rise to Broadway history

The timeline shows a steady rise from small-town Oregon to Broadway history.

What we know — and what we don’t

The pattern: confirmed facts outweigh rumors, but gaps remain.

Quotes

“This award is for every nonbinary kid who dreams of standing on a Broadway stage.”

“Cole Escola is the first nonbinary Tony winner.”

In an interview with The New Yorker in August 2024, Escola said they want to be seen as an actor who happens to be nonbinary, not a nonbinary actor (The New Yorker profile).

These quotes encapsulate Escola’s perspective on identity and representation.

What this means for Broadway and beyond

Cole Escola’s Tony win is not just a personal achievement — it’s a signal to the theater industry that gender diversity on stage is not a niche concern. For LGBTQ+ performers, the path is clearer but still uneven. For the Tony Awards, the conversation about gender-neutral categories is now unavoidable. For audiences, Escola’s success means seeing themselves reflected in an art form that has often excluded them.

The catch: the awards themselves remain gendered. Escola’s win in the “actor” category highlights the gap between identity and institutional recognition. For young nonbinary artists in Oregon and beyond, the choice is to keep pushing, or to let the industry catch up.

For a detailed look at Cole Escola, a detailed look at Cole Escola covers their pronouns, career, and historic Tony win.

Frequently asked questions

The FAQs address common queries about Escola’s identity and career.

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