Broadway’s ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ Releases 5-Track Preview Album, Completes Cast

Darren Criss and Helen J Shen are starring in the new musical, beginning performances in October at the Belasco Theatre.

Written By LOGAN CULWELL-BLOCK

Originally published on playbill.com

Maybe Happy Ending doesn’t begin performances until October 16 at the Belasco Theatre, but a new five-track preview album is offering a good listen to the show’s new songs by Will Aronson and Hue Park.

Listen to the tracks, sung by Darren Criss, Helen J Shen, who will star in the musical’s Broadway debut as Oliver and Claire, respectively; and Dez Duron. The newly announced full company also includes Steven Huynh, Hannah Kevitt, Daniel May, and Christopher James Tamayo, along with the previously announced Marcus Choi.

The musical was previously forced to postpone its Broadway start due to supply chain issues related to the show’s scenic design, which reportedly uses specialty projection technology. Opening night will now be November 12.

Set in South Korea, the musical follows a Helperbot 3 that has been deemed obsolete. When his Helperbot neighbor drops by to borrow a charger, a bond is formed, the beginning of a surprising and romantic adventure. The original work features music by Aronson and lyrics by Park, and both have collaborated on the book.

Park is a former K-Pop lyricist, working with Music Cube as a college student. Later attending New York University, Park met Aronson, and a musical theatre collaboration was born. Working mostly in Korea, the pair has previously written musicals Bungee Jump (based on the Korean film) and Il Tenore, and will premiere Ghost Bakery at Seoul’s Doosan Arts Center later this year.

Aronson and Park have written both English- and Korean-language versions of Maybe Happy Ending, with the latter having premiered in 2016 in Seoul. The English version won the 2017 Richard Rodgers Production Award, playing Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre in 2020.

Maybe Happy Ending will feature scenic and additional video design by Dane Laffrey, 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. Justin Scribner will serve as production stage manager. Casting is by Telsey & Co’s Craig Burns.

Jeffrey Richards and Hunter Arnold are leading the producing team alongside Criss, Pamela and Stephen Della Pietra, Rebecca Gold, Spencer Ross, Adam Zotovich, Kayla Greenspan, M/B/P Productions, Fahs Productions, Ken Greiner, Ruth Hendel, Willette and Manny Klausner, Cody Lassen, Mix and Match Productions, The Nederlander Organization, Jacob Stuckelman & John Albert Harris. Allan Williams is serving as executive producer.

Visit MaybeHappyEnding.com.

Listen to MAYBE HAPPY ENDING Musical Preview here.