Darren Criss to star in new Broadway musical 'Maybe Happy Ending'
The Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor will star alongside Helen J. Shen and Dez Duron in the show, which will play at the Belasco Theatre this fall.
UPDATE: Maybe Happy Ending has moved back its performance start date; the below article has been updated with the new dates. Additionally, Marcus Choi has joined the cast as James and others.
What happy news! Darren Criss will star in Maybe Happy Ending, a new Broadway musical, this fall. Performances begin at the Belasco Theatre on October 16 ahead of an November 12 opening.
Criss is best known for his Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning performance as Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and for playing Blaine Anderson on Glee. His stage credits include Little Shop of Horrors, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and American Buffalo.
He will star alongside Helen J. Shen (The Lonely Few, Teeth off Broadway) and Dez Duron (The Voice on NBC), both of whom make their Broadway debuts with the show.
Maybe Happy Ending takes place in a small apartment in Seoul, South Korea, where two obsolete and retired robots — Oliver (Criss) and his neighbor Claire (Shen) — strike up an unexpected friendship that might even be love. Duron also stars as Gil Brentley.
Additional casting has yet to be announced.
The show is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Arden (Parade) and written by Will Aronson (book and music) and Hue Park (book and lyrics). Maybe Happy Ending also features set 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.
Maybe Happy Ending was written in both Korean and English. The Korean-language version opened in 2016 in Seoul and won six Korean Musical Awards, including Best Musical. The English-language version premiered at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta in 2020, also under Arden's direction. That production won the 2017 Richard Rodgers Production Award.
Get Maybe Happy Ending tickets now.
Photo credit: Darren Criss. (Photo by Tony Moux for Onekind)
Frequently asked questions
What is Maybe Happy Ending about?
See Andrew Barth Feldman and Helen J Shen in the Tony Award-winning musical Maybe Happy Ending, a comedy about robots falling unexpectedly in love as they near the end of their designated lifespan.
How do you book tickets for Maybe Happy Ending?
Book tickets for Maybe Happy Ending on New York Theatre Guide.
What's the age requirement for Maybe Happy Ending?
The recommended age for Maybe Happy Ending is Ages 8+..
How long is Maybe Happy Ending?
The running time of Maybe Happy Ending is 1hr 40min. No intermission.
What are the songs in Maybe Happy Ending?
The score is largely sung by just two characters and blends genres, including jazz, contemporary musical theatre, and more. Audiences can expect love duets and sweeping solos.
Who wrote Maybe Happy ending?
This new musical has music composed by Will Aronson, lyrics written by Hue Park, and a book written by both Aronson and Park.
Who directs Maybe Happy Ending?
Tony Award winner Michael Arden, a leading force in Broadway musicals, stages this new production.
Is Maybe Happy Ending good?
Beloved internationally, the mjusical now comes to Broadway where it earned a Critic's Pick in The New York Times and Variety called it "moving...it teaches us to be human."
Is Maybe Happy Ending appropriate for kids?
Yes, the show is recommended for ages eight and up (and audiences must be above age four to enter Broadway shows).
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