MAYBE HAPPY ENDING
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Belasco Theatre
Opened on Broadway: November 12, 2024 Performances: 615 (as of 5/3/26) Director & Choreographer: Michael Arden Choreographer: Sonya Tayeh Book: Will Aronson & Hue Park Music: Will Aronson Lyrics: Hue Park Runtime: 1hr. 50min. (1 Intermission) Opening Night Cast:
For Oliver: Steven Huynh & Christopher James Tamayo For Claire: Hannah Kevitt For Gil: Daniel May & Christopher James Tamayo For James: Steven Huynh & Daniel May Actors/Actresses Who've Played in the Show: Oliver: Darren Criss, Andrew Barth Feldman, Zachary Noah Piser Claire: Helen J. Shen, Hannah Kevitt, Claire Kwon Gil: Dez Duron James: Marcus Choi Official Maybe Happy Ending Archive at IBDB.com. |
Synopsis:
Set in the neon-lit, high-tech suburbs of near-future Seoul, Maybe Happy Ending is a "retrotech" love story about two outdated HelperBots living in a retirement complex for obsolete robots. Oliver (played by Emmy winner Darren Criss) is a meticulous "HelperBot 5" who spends his days waiting for his former owner to return. Claire (Helen J Shen) is a cynical, clever "HelperBot 6" who knows their batteries are slowly fading. When a chance encounter leads them on a road trip into the Korean countryside, these two machines discover something their programming never intended: the joy—and the heartbreak—of human connection.
With a lush, jazz-influenced score by Will Aronson and Hue Park, the musical blends whimsical sci-fi with a deeply moving exploration of memory and mortality. Directed by Tony winner Michael Arden (Parade), the production features enchanting, small-scale stagecraft—including tiny glowing fireflies and miniature rainy streets—that makes the audience feel like they are peeking into a delicate music box. It is a bittersweet, "happily-ever-ish" story that asks: is love worth the risk if you know exactly when your heart will stop beating?
Set in the neon-lit, high-tech suburbs of near-future Seoul, Maybe Happy Ending is a "retrotech" love story about two outdated HelperBots living in a retirement complex for obsolete robots. Oliver (played by Emmy winner Darren Criss) is a meticulous "HelperBot 5" who spends his days waiting for his former owner to return. Claire (Helen J Shen) is a cynical, clever "HelperBot 6" who knows their batteries are slowly fading. When a chance encounter leads them on a road trip into the Korean countryside, these two machines discover something their programming never intended: the joy—and the heartbreak—of human connection.
With a lush, jazz-influenced score by Will Aronson and Hue Park, the musical blends whimsical sci-fi with a deeply moving exploration of memory and mortality. Directed by Tony winner Michael Arden (Parade), the production features enchanting, small-scale stagecraft—including tiny glowing fireflies and miniature rainy streets—that makes the audience feel like they are peeking into a delicate music box. It is a bittersweet, "happily-ever-ish" story that asks: is love worth the risk if you know exactly when your heart will stop beating?
