Maybe Happy Ending at Belasco Theatre

Hot off the press! Emmy® and Golden Globe Award® winner Darren Criss (Little Shop of Horrors) is returning to Broadway alongside the undeniably talented Helen J Shen in the new rom com production MAYBE HAPPY ENDING.

Winner of the Richard Rodgers Award, MAYBE HAPPY ENDING is an offbeat love story. The tale follows two outcasts near the end of their warranty who find out that even robots can be swept off their feet. Piloted by trailblazing director and Tony Award® winner Michael Arden (Parade, Once on This Island), with a captivating scenic design by Dane Laffrey (A Christmas Carol) and book, music, and lyrics by the internationally revered duo Will Aronson and Hue Park, MAYBE HAPPY ENDING is a fresh and quirky production about the small things that make any life worth living.

The smash hit South Korean musical celebrated its 2016 world premiere in Seoul and went on to secure as many as six Korean musical awards as well as the coveted 2017 Richard Rodgers Production Award. The English-language Broadway production is a grand revamp which promises to showcase wonderfully sensitive acting. Call your loved one, circle your calendars, and book your tickets now before it’s too late!

Maybe Happy Ending Tickets

“A charming, Broadway-ready new musical about robots in love” – New York Times theater critic Jesse Green

Synopsis

MAYBE HAPPY ENDING tells the tale of Claire (Cathy Ang) and Oliver (Kenny Tran), a couple of obsolete helper robots who have been tossed aside by their owners. Claire and Oliver discover each other in the late twenty-first century and develop a unique connection that challenges their ideas about love, relationships, and themselves. 

The story is set inside an apartment building on the outskirts of Seoul, South Korea, where old helper robots live. Oliver, an old model helper robot, lives a peaceful life in his one-room apartment listening to jazz records and taking care of his favorite plant. But what else is there to do for a Helperbot 3, an obsolete robot that has been retired for a long time? When Claire’s charger stops working, she knocks on her next-door neighbor, Oliver’s, door and asks for help. What begins as an awkward encounter leads to a one-of-a-kind friendship, an unpredictable adventure, and maybe even…love?

Creative Team

MAYBE HAPPY ENDING stars Emmy-winning Glee and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story actor Darren Criss. Known and loved for his huge roles on television, Darren Criss last appeared on Broadway in the revival of American Buffalo in 2022. He also starred in the off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors this year (2024) and has also featured on Broadway in Hedwig and the Angry Inch and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. So it’s safe to say this Broadway heavyweight knows exactly what he’s doing! MAYBE HAPPY ENDING also marks the Broadway debut of The Lonely Few’s Helen J. Shen as Claire and The Voice’s Dez Duron as Gil Brentley.

Featuring a playbook by Will Aronson and Hue Park, with music by Aronson and lyrics by Park, MAYBE HAPPY ENDING is piloted by Tony Award winner Michael Arden from Parade, Once on This Island, and boasts captivating scenic design by Dane Laffrey (A Christmas Carol). The production team also includes costume design by Clint Ramos, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by Peter Hylenski, video design by George Reeve, music supervision by Deborah Abramson and music direction by John Yun.

History and Awards

MAYBE HAPPY ENDING originally hit theaters in 2016 for its world premiere at the Daemyung Cultural Factory, South Korea, which was received with critical acclaim. It has since been brought to life in Seoul four times, winning a number of accolades. At the 2nd Korean Musical Awards, MAYBE HAPPY ENDING was nominated for a whopping six awards and won all nominations, including Best Musical, Best Director, Best Music, Lyrics and Book. The production also won four awards at the 6th Yegreen Musical Awards, such as Musical of the Year Award, Music Award (Will Aronson), Directing Award (Kim Dong-yeon) and Female Popularity Award (Jeon Mi-do). What’s more, MAYBE HAPPY ENDING won the 2017 Richard Rodgers Production Award.

The musical has been revived several times locally and received productions worldwide, with a Broadway production set to open this year (2024). MAYBE HAPPY ENDING made its English-language debut in 2020 at Atlanta’s Alliance Theater, where it was directed by the talented Michael Arden, who is also set to direct the upcoming Broadway production.