Profile for MimiChika

macbeth said: "What a feckless union Equity is to let a hit new Broadway show that's had steady grosses and (awesome cast) no big stars to fill the house. ie: the perfect touring show, right?

Nope, a Level 5 touring contract.

https://playbill.com/job/death-becomes-her-orlando-auditions/39d75640-8077-444f-8c2b-ed50b4b3dd9b"

The tour is gonna be Equity, the salary range is from Touring agreement and Full production because they are casting future replacements for both the tour and Broadway. Is listed as Non Union cause is an open call not an equity call 

aces25 said: "Any update following yesterday’s meeting?"

No official updates from Actors Equity. I’m sure we will hear something by mid day today. 
i guess no news is good news?

TheatreFan4 said: "MimiChika said: "The movie cost 35 million. Are you implying they produced to movie to be a flop? They wanted the movie to be a hit. Duh"

Nobody wants a flop, but you post as though it entertains you that it's not doing well. There is a difference."

Is not entertaining. Is a FACT: one of the biggest flops ever. Read film history. Learn something 

TheatreFan4 said: "MimiChika said: "biggest flop ever"

There are actually much bigger flops, I'm not sure why some people need to be hyperbolic about this movie as if it was ever intended to be a big box office contender."

The movie cost 35 million. Are you implying they produced to movie to be a flop? They wanted the movie to be a hit. Duh 

“Kiss of the Spider Woman” bowed far below projections at No. 13 with a paltry $840,000 from 1,300 screens

https://variety.com/2025/film/box-office/tron-ares-box-office-opening-weekend-roofman-kiss-of-the-spider-woman-1236544376/

biggest flop ever 

Rumor is Kate Baldwin is the next Roxy 

This is not new, Bring it On stopped on Broadway also on a touring contract. 
is going to a new normal. 
also, Phantom of the Opera Tour  is about to announce a stop on Broadway in 2026, The show will be running On Broadway and Off Broadway 

https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/broadway-actors-prepare-strike-union-says-2025-09-30/

mitchern said: "A friend who worked on the Superstar concerts at the Hollywood Bowl said that Lord ALW and others were talking backstage about wanting to bring it to Radio City for a few nights this fall or Spring if scheduled aligned."

This is fan fiction. There’s no plans for JCS. Sorry.

JSquared2 said: "Looks like Karen Olivo (who goes by KO now!) will be directing a concert of IN THE HEIGHTS at the O'Neill Center! I guessshe got bored making pottery in Wisconsin and is testing the waters to make her triumphant (3rd or 4th?) return to Broadway!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/KO-to-Direct-Robin-de-Jess-Katerina-McCrimmon-and-More-in-IN-THE-HEIGHTS-Benefit-Concert-20250805

"
going back to the main topic: 

Uninspired casting and meh. Wish they had an exciting cast ala Hollywood Bowl. This is just meh

 

Helen you are eating your words. Period 

 

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/helen-shen-maybe-happy-ending-tonys-2025-interview?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwL5J1hleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABp-1mcDsLR9K3rirux5rnUweU5TlSeayHMuAjDSSdKpNO3ZkQfgwu5KAwyL4Z_aem_ShOv_aXutN0OPnj-xUsP2Q

TV: So according to Playbill, Darren's the first Asian actor to win Best Leading Actor in a Musical. I wanted to talk to you about Asian representation on Broadway — there’s yourself, Darren, the entire show of Maybe Happy Ending is a breakthrough in so many ways. So talk to me about getting to be that beacon for other young Asian kids now at this moment.

HS: Firstly, Lea Salonga [introduced us] before our performance. She has been such a huge champion of our show. She's come to see it a couple of times and has just always been such a loud advocate for us. But she was my beacon growing up, and I attest a lot of my thoughts that this was ever a possibility [for me], to her career.

We've had Asian families at the stage door say, “I bring my kids to Broadway shows all the time and I never thought in my lifetime that I would see a show like this where these characters are portrayed by Asian actors, and the story feels very inherently Asian.” It feels like baked in the bones, and yet it's not about that, it's actually about the universality of humanity. And I feel really excited that it's reached kind of mainstream in this way. It's just not to say that let's tell Asian stories for Asian people. These stories matter because everyone can be seen in them.

It trickles down to, then, what people think is possible. I feel very emotional thinking about if 11-year-old Helen saw Maybe Happy Ending, listened to the cast recording, knew the journey of where it came from in Korea, that it's not just about trying to be a Western idea and trying to fit yourself into this mold…All you can do is keep being yourself, and that will click at some point. I feel it so profoundly.

Also in the microcosm way at the theater, we get to really celebrate what's fun about it and order dim sum and go out to the barbecue. There's little things like that when you're not the minority in a cast, you can kind of experience in a way that you didn't really experience before. And we have AAPI representation across the board — the stage managers and our designers, and everyone at the Belasco, even though it's a four person cast, it is filled to the brim with the most amazing women, the most amazing queer people. It's just the best building to go to work in. And I'm going back to work tomorrow. It feels like there's an ending of some sorts that feels like a conclusion or a culmination, a chapter ending [with the Tonys wins]. But actually, we go to work.

 

Direct quote from Michael Arden form Q&A he did on Reddit: 
https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/comments/1gva2c6/im_michael_arden_director_of_maybe_happy_ending/

Question:

As an AsAm actor, one of my favorite things about MHE was how entrenched it felt in Asian culture — particularly in the way it approaches its themes. What was the conversation/thought process like when considering producing the musical in the States v. Korea— were there things you felt needed to change to register? Things you were very  intent didn’t? Thank you!

reply:

Michael Arden: I wanted it to be as authentic as possible. I also think it's in the DNA of the story and writing. Not much needed to change really, and I think when it did feel foreign, we leaned into that. People want to travel the world through art.

BorisTomashevsky said: "^ You’re overthinking this.

So, by right, if the production’s recent statement is true and they wanted to always be a show where any race can play any role, then theyshould NOT have participated in those two occasions that they posted about?"

Original casting breakdown before Andrew got cast: 

https://ibb.co/WpD5Rb52



 

Rumored principal cast: 

taken from social media 
 

https://ibb.co/YTV26kxD

Show is extending to October, extension announcement coming next week.

The old “lee's art shop” on 57th is the venue for phantom of the opera, they bought the whole building.