In a jaw-dropping red carpet moment that stunned even Broadway’s most seasoned insiders, Cole Escola resurrected one of the most iconic fashion moments in Tony Awards history. And she also added a surreal twist all their own. The Oh, Mary! star arrived at the 2025 Tony Awards in New York City draped in a silvery-blue creation. It felt more like theater than mere couture. With every shimmering bead and dramatic fold, it became clear. Escola wasn’t just dressing up. They were conjuring a Broadway legend.
From the corseted lace-up bodice to the voluminous train, Escola’s custom Wiederhoeft gown paid a direct and deeply intentional homage to Bernadette Peters. It was her unforgettable look from the 1999 Tonys, where she won Best Leading Actress for Annie Get Your Gun. The gown’s icy “Cinderella blue,” as Escola described it on the red carpet, was no accident. A pendant necklace featuring British stage icon Laura Keene. She us best known for her role in Our American Cousin. The play Abraham Lincoln was watching when he was assassinated, completed the historically rich ensemble.
Broadway Star Cole Escola Stuns in Cinderella-Blue Gown
Every detail of the Wiederhoeft gown was steeped in symbolism. Metallic blue glass beads, an embroidered silver “door” motif. And to top it all a draping that mimicked Peters’ original dress added layers of meaning to Escola’s fashion statement. The skirt’s intricate embellishments served as what the designer described as a nod to “Bernadette’s medals and the significance of the passage of time.” The look wasn’t just theatrical. It was time travel dressed in taffeta.
Saying I'm obsessed with Cole Escola (and this look!!!!!) wouldn't even begin to cover it. #TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/vvz19wPAhj
— MTV (@MTV) June 8, 2025
Escola’s reddish-brown curly wig further sealed the tribute, mirroring Peters’ trademark hair from that legendary night. Designer Jackson Wiederhoeft explained that the concept behind the ensemble centered around “faded crypticism, false innocence, fightfulness, queenly status and ancient doors.” He revealed that he and Escola had long been “obsessed with the color and the medals on the front.” He also called the look a delicate balance between satire and reverence. What he coined a “sense of fake naiveté.”
She earned a nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for Oh, Mary!. Escola returned to the role of Mary Todd earlier this spring. And with it, she reunited the original cast in what has become one of the most celebrated theatrical comedies of the past year. But on Tony’s night, all eyes were on Escola. Not just as a performer, but as a walking tribute to Broadway greatness.
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