The journey to a Broadway musical actually begins years before the show even hits the stage. For Maybe Happy Ending's Tony-nominated writing team Hue Park and Will Aronson, their journey actually began 14 years ago when the two were both students at New York University. Watch the exclusive video above, where the two detail how they met and walk viewers through their very first 2014 draft of Maybe Happy Ending (which included a singing plant, how very Little Shop of Horrors).
Darren Criss and Helen J Shen are leading the 2025 Best Musical Tony nominee at the Belasco Theatre, where the Aronson-Park musical opened November 12, 2024. The musical is one of the most Tony-nominated productions of the season, where it's up for 10 categories at this year's Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Book for Park and Aronson, Best Direction of a Musical for Arden, and Best Leading Actor in a Musical for Criss. Winners will be named June 8 at Radio City Music Hall in a ceremony set to broadcast live on CBS and stream via Paramount+.
READ: Maybe Happy Ending Writers Hue Park and Will Aronson on the Art of Writing in 2 Languages
Ghostlight Records released the musical's original Broadway cast album digitally earlier this year, and a vinyl edition will drop June 13. Stream the album
The Broadway cast features Shen and Criss starring as, respectively, Claire and Oliver, South Korea-based Helperbots that have been deemed obsolete. The pair form an unlikely bond, setting off a surprising and romantic adventure. The music is by Aronson with lyrics by Park and a book by Park and Aronson. The cast also includes Marcus Choi and Dez Duron, with the company rounded out by understudies Steven Huynh, Hannah Kevitt, Daniel May, Claire Kwon, and Christopher James Tamayo. Casting is by Telsey & Co's Craig Burns.
Arden's creative team includes scenic and additional video designer Dane Laffrey, costume designer Clint Ramos, lighting designer Ben Stanton, sound designer Peter Hylenski, video designer George Reeve, music supervisor Deborah Abramson, and music director John Yun.
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