Discussion on the Success of Darren Criss and Will Aronson's Talk Show Featured on PBS NewsHour from Maybe Happy Ending's Stars
After a successful run on Broadway and numerous awards, the critically acclaimed musical "Maybe Happy Ending" is set to embark on a multi-year North American tour beginning in the Fall of 2026.
Originally conceived and created by Korean composer-lyricist Will Aronson and lyricist Hue Park, this heartwarming production first premiered in Seoul in 2016 as a Korean-language production. The story centres around two life-like helper-bots, Oliver and Claire, who meet in a future version of Seoul and develop a touching relationship that explores themes of love, connection, and mortality.
The inspiration behind the musical comes from imagining how artificial life and technology intersect with human feelings, particularly through the lens of these helper-bots discovering emotional depth in themselves. It is a unique blend of futuristic science fiction and a tender romantic narrative, reflecting on what it means to connect and live meaningfully even within constraints like obsolescence or programmed existence.
Written collaboratively by Hue Park (lyrics, book) and Will Aronson (music, book), the musical was designed to be performed without intermission to maintain its flowing emotional impact. It gained critical acclaim and numerous awards in South Korea before being adapted into an English-language version that premiered in the U.S. in 2020. The Broadway production opened on November 12, 2024, at the Belasco Theatre and notably won multiple Tony Awards, highlighting its significant crossover from Asian theater origins to an international audience.
The tour, launching in Baltimore at the Hippodrome Theatre at The France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, will have stops in 30+ cities including Los Angeles, D.C., Chicago, Tampa, St. Louis, Detroit, San Francisco, Providence, and many other cities. The main cast includes Darren Criss, Helen J Shen, Dez Duron, Marcus Choi, Andrew Barth Feldman, Steven Huynh, Hannah Kevitt, Daniel May, and Christopher James Tamayo.
For a special limited run from September 2, 2025, to November 1, 2025, Andrew Barth Feldman will play the role of "Oliver." The production's design team includes Dane Laffrey (set and additional video), Clint Ramos (costumes), Peter Hylenski (sound), Deborah Abramson (music supervisor), and Ben Stanton (lighting). John Yun serves as the music director.
The musical follows two retired helper bots who unexpectedly fall in love, offering a poetic exploration of relationships in a near-future setting. The Korean-language version of "Maybe Happy Ending" won six Korean Musical Awards, including Best Musical, while the English-language version has also won numerous awards, including the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical, 2 Drama League Awards, 4 Outer Critics Circle Awards, a Theatre World Award, a Broadway.com Audience Choice Award, and 6 Drama Desk Awards.
Actor Darren Criss and composer Will Aronson were featured on PBS NewsHour's CANVAS series to discuss the acclaimed musical. Additional engagements, casting, and the route for the tour's first year will be announced soon. Don't miss this touching and thought-provoking production as it travels across North America!
The critically acclaimed musical "Maybe Happy Ending" is expected to captivate North American audiences with its unique blend of emotion and science fiction, as it embarks on a multi-year tour in 2026. This award-winning production, which explores themes of love, connection, and mortality through the lens of artificial life and technology, has already gained significant attention in the world of entertainment and media.
