MAYBE HAPPY ENDING Reviews — Page 19

chrishuyen said: "The score has been the sticking point for me as far as Tony predictions go, as it seems to be the weakest part of the show to many (outside of the sightlines). But it's also the only original score that got an orchestration nomination, and the winner for score usually seems to be nominated so I don't really know anymore. I've said since the beginning that I think Dead Outlaw might be the one taking home score, but I just don't know anymore."

I have listened to MHE OBC recording more than any other Broadway show in many years. I might be in the minority but I don't find a weak song in the bunch.

I have no musical ear but it’s the only show in a long while that I enjoy listening to from beginning to end without wanting to skip tracks. At least as presented on the OBCR, the show’s music captures the story’s emotional and plot arc completely. I listen to the music and I’m transported back to how it felt to see the show. The score’s ability to do that has lasted longer than any show in recent memory for me. I think that’s a sign they’ve done something award worthy.

UWS10023 said: "I am noticing that all balcony seats are partial view But yet steep in price. Does anyone have any Intel on how the seats are?"

I didn't sit there when I saw the show but you can try https://seatplan.com/new-york/belasco-theatre/seating-plan/ or https://aviewfrommyseat.com/theater/Maybe+Happy+Ending/

I knew some of this from following this board but the story emphasized just how grim things were last fall - first because it wasn’t totally clear the musical would open at all, and then its early - and costly - box office struggles.

This show wouldn’t have survived if it had come out in the spring. It needed the space for word of mouth to build.

The discouraging thing is the reality that it’s really difficult to make money on a new Broadway musical. I think Maybe Happy Ending is better positioned for sustained box office success than A Strange Loop and Kimberly Akimbo, as it has been doing better business than those shows even before its big Tony Awards night. It just has to survive Criss’ upcoming departure - and, sooner than we think, the underrated Helen J. Shen’s.

I am not an investor, so I shouldn’t care, but I am really rooting for MHE to be a financial success as well as a critical and award-winning one. There needs to be a place for new musicals like this to thrive.

binau said: "I am very hopeful MHE can now recoup. If it can, it’s the best thing to keep investors willing to play this game. Someone said in the NYtimes I think it was that it is harder to find investors these days because of the economic dynamics, so we need these success stories.

It’s probably helped by strong baseline sales that strange loop and fun home never had, but it’s looking like the tony win is giving this the boost it needed to become a sell out hit and generate buzz/hype. I am praying this can last for the next year or however long they need to recoup."

I understand that economy and tourism declines could upend everything, but I am cautiously bullish on the outlook for Maybe Happy Ending. It’s a well-crafted, visually stunning musical that touches the heart while addressing serious issues. Obviously, the show relies on the chemistry between the two leads because it’s almost a two-hander - so recasting choices will be especially important. But Dear Evan Hansen survived and thrived for years without Ben Platt. The sometimes-critical comparisons to Pixar’s better films applies here: This isn’t difficult, arty fare. It’s popular entertainment, borrowing from familiar tropes like rom-coms and road trip stories and a little science fiction.

Maybe I’m too much of an optimist. But being optimistic has been a good approach to Maybe Happy Ending thus far.

Saw this one on 05/23 and this is the best romantic comedy that Hollywood has given up on making in the last 15 years.

But it's more than that, it's really good how the script allows itself to go beyond the cuteness of the impossible-to-deny relationship between the two leads, and decides to deal with human problems with unparalleled delicacy. It's a work about abandonment and mourning, how we deal with them. And how the presence of someone when you've suffered from these feelings can turn your world upside down, and it's not always easy to accept this new presence right away.

With an absolutely beautiful score, all jazz-y and in many moments pop, I don't think it's sacrilegious to say that it reminded me of the sound of a contemporary Sondheim. A rich and organic musicality different from what Broadway produces nowadays, a real rarity.

Michael Arden conducts this work with first-rate aesthetic rigor, but understanding that there's room for the greatest possible sentimentality. Like the firefly scene, which you simply aren't prepared for until it actually happens and it starts witth a single wand in such a theatrical way.

And at the center of it all is Darren Criss and Helen Shen, who are captivating on screen, I'm a gleek but never really loved Criss in anything, but he creates a robot with such charming and unforgettable depth that it's impossible to resist.

DAME said: "@Madson I enjoy reading you here. How lucky youare to have seen some good theater. 😄🤗"

Thanks, I spent my annual week at NY during the last week of may and only I'm able to post on the shows' threads.

The trip was amazing, no bummers this time lol

GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "This looks much worse than the Nicole situation tbh



https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/s/ai8Uo0g7tZ"

I just unfollowed him a few days ago after I accidentally found he liked a instagram post that promoted (insert forbidden words here)

just as bad as Scherzinger, prob much worse, but hes a featured actor that isnt the face of anything, and shes the toast of Broadway. Call them both out, by all means, but its not exactly the same situation.

That NY Post article is from almost a decade ago. I’m sure everyone clutching their pearls on here and on Reddit have the purest of histories themselves lol.

Andrew Barth Feldman is the next Oliver, from September 2 - November 1.

"At its core, Maybe Happy Ending is a story about the longing for connection and the complexities of being human (and Helperbot, and Vegetable) — universal themes that transcend all backgrounds. We’re proud to continue embracing infinite and exciting possibilities in casting, and to showcase this role as one that welcomes different interpretations and lived experiences. We’re so excited for what Andrew will bring to this next chapter and can’t wait to see who will plug into Oliver’s charger next."

-Will Aronson, Hue Park, and Michael Arden

We are still allowed to be disappointed to not allow another Asian actor the opportunity to step into the role… it’s not like there aren’t plenty?