MAYBE HAPPY ENDING Reviews- Page 56

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 6:36pm

merle57 said: "While I agree that the lack of leading roles of Asian actors in plays and musicals into only on Broadway but in regional theatre s deplorable, why have you picked on one show as if it is the CAUSE of every single producer's unwillingness to cast Asian leading actors?

No one is claiming it is the cause. We are saying...exactly what is in the image posted in the comment above yours that you seem to have ignored.  Which, by the way, came from Francis Jue's Instagram since you decided to drop his name.

Some of you don't understand incremental change, or have never had to fight hard for something. Yes, it would be ideal for producers to change their policies and give Asian actors the same opportunities as non-Asian actors. That would be the ultimate goal. But if we can't even get Asian actors cast in Asian-set stories, how are we going to get them cast in non-Asian-set stories?

It's like someone saying they're asking for a five cent raise, and you responding, "You should ask for a $500 raise! That's what you really deserve." Which...yeah. But if we can't even get five cents, how are we going to get $500? 

(This reminds me of early in the discussion when people were saying, "Well, Darren Criss isn't even Korean. Shouldn't you be asking for Korean actors to be cast in a story set in Korea?" Which...sure. But when we can't even ask for any East Asian actors to be cast in this show without people decrying the unfairness to white actors, how are we going to ask for Korean actors? The first step is to get any Asian actor cast in the role. Baby steps.)

As the post said, having Asian actors cast in stories set in Asia is the LEAST they could do. It is not the ultimate solution. If it's coming up now regarding this show...maybe it's because this is the only show set in Asia currently on Broadway?

[Seb28]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 7:00pm

Wayman_Wong said: "Then again, Feldman was announced July 24, and the show's producers have yet to address or acknowledge the casting controversy"

The producers don't have to address or acknowledge anything. The role description was "all ethnicities" from the start. How dare you tell them otherwise. 

And not only did they put it there in the description from the start, they have shown to be truthful in practice too. They are sincere about it. Unlike shows as Hamilton, who pretend to respect equality but in reality their agenda is clear. MHE is a step ahead of that. The new era. The future. Sidelining races is behind us.

There is no controversy for people who want equality. Which is the majority of the audience. The audiences will see the celebration of a 90% asian cast, which is great and 2 lead robot roles that look like a mixed race couple in the way it has been cast so far. 99% of the audience thinks Criss is white too. That's all there is to it.

The team of Maybe Happy Ending made an admirable and revolutionary move here. For the first time in Broadway history true equality was shown. They teach the world that equality is an actual two-way street. This is the start of the right path forward. This production is writing history by doing so and should be celebrated and awarded for it.

Updated On: 9/1/25 at 07:00 PM

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 7:06pm

Seb28 said: "Wayman_Wong said: "Then again, Feldman was announced July 24, and the show's producers have yet to address or acknowledge the casting controversy"

The producers don't have to address or acknowledge anything. The role description was "all ethnicities" from the start. How dare you tell them otherwise.

And not only did they put it there in the description from the start, they have shown to be truthful in practice too. They are sincere about it.Unlike shows as Hamilton, who pretend to respect equality but in reality their agenda is clear. MHE is a stepahead of that. The new era. The future. Sidelining races is behind us.

There is no controversy for people who want equality. Which is the majority of the audience. The audiences will see the celebration of a 90% asian cast, which is great and2 lead robot roles is that look like a mixed race couple in the way it has been cast so far.99% of the audience thinks Criss is white too. That's all there is to it.

The team of Maybe Happy Endingmade an admirable and revolutionary move here. For the first time in Broadway history true equality was shown. They teachthe world that equality is an actual two-way street. This is the start of the right path forward. This production is writing history by doing so and should be celebrated and awarded for it."

Keep embarrassing yourself. You are spectacular at it! 

[Seb28]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 7:29pm

Matt Rogers said: "Keep embarrassing yourself. You are spectacular at it!"

Subject-related replies please, thank you. Demanding a 100% cast of a certain race while the production team disagrees with that racist idea is spectacularly unacceptable.

 

Updated On: 9/1/25 at 07:29 PM

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 7:41pm

Seb28 said: "Matt Rogers said: "Keep embarrassing yourself. You are spectacular at it!"

Subject-related replies please, thank you. Demanding a 100% cast of a certain race while the production team disagrees with that racist ideais spectacularly unacceptable.

"

it is subject related to call out your ignorance and bigotry that you proudly plaster all over this board. 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 7:46pm

Darren Criss passes the torch at the end of his speech (impossible to know if this has been posted yet).

https://youtu.be/p9ZmnNhtRIg?feature=shared

[Seb28]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 8:02pm

MezzA101 said: "Darren Criss passes the torch at the end of his speech (impossible to know if this has been posted yet).

https://youtu.be/p9ZmnNhtRIg?feature=shared"

What a beautiful moment. Wonderful to see the respect and love between the actors and the passion for the show.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 8:05pm

Seb28 said: "MezzA101 said: "Darren Criss passes the torch at the end of his speech (impossible to know if this has been posted yet).

https://youtu.be/p9ZmnNhtRIg?feature=shared"

What a beautiful moment. Wonderful to see the respect and love between the actors and the passion for the show."

LOL

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 8:18pm

Seb28 said: "MezzA101 said: "Darren Criss passes the torch at the end of his speech (impossible to know if this has been posted yet).

https://youtu.be/p9ZmnNhtRIg?feature=shared"

What a beautiful moment. Wonderful to see the respect and love between the actors and the passion for the show."

Right? Polar opposite to the hate that the mob wants to cultivate. They’d be LIVID to see such joy and security. Just wait for comments about how Darren can make a speech but he and the production wouldn’t even address the controversy. 

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 8:29pm

BorisTomashevsky said: "Seb28 said: "MezzA101 said: "Darren Criss passes the torch at the end of his speech (impossible to know if this has been posted yet).

https://youtu.be/p9ZmnNhtRIg?feature=shared"

What a beautiful moment. Wonderful to see the respect and love between the actors and the passion for the show."

Right? Polar opposite to the hate that the mobwants to cultivate. They’d be LIVID to see such joy and security. Just wait for comments about how Darren can make a speech but he and the productionwouldn’teven address the controversy."

Take a seat, troll. 

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 8:55pm

Seb28 said: "For the first time in Broadway history true equality was shown."

You've really surpassed yourself with this sweeping false generalization.

And for many, the goal is equity even though you keep touting equality.

 

[Seb28]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 9:21pm

SteveSanders said: "Seb28 said: "For the first time in Broadway history true equality was shown."
 

You've really surpassed yourself with this sweeping false generalization."

Can you name one other instance where a white actor took over a role from an asian actor? I can name countless examples of the other way around.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 9:58pm

Seb28 said: "SteveSanders said: "Seb28 said: "For the first time in Broadway history true equality was shown."


You've really surpassed yourself with this sweeping false generalization."

Can you name one other instance where a white actor took over a role from an asian actor? I can name countless examples of the other way around."

Keep up the good work! Embarrassing yourself on the internet! Every time I think you can’t get more pathetic, you prove me wrong. Same with your fellow racist troll, Boris. 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 10:02pm

The amount of third-hand guilt around here is astonishing. Let’s just tattoo the word “SORRY” on each other’s foreheads.

Equity will never be reached because there will always be someone who isn’t satisfied. 

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 9/1/25 at 10:18pm

BorisTomashevsky said: "The amount of third-hand guilt around here is astonishing. Let’s just tattoothe word “SORRY” on each other’s foreheads.

Equity will never be reached because there will always be someone who isn’t satisfied."

You low life right wing trolls are hysterical. What exactly are you even doing here? So pathetic, and yet you continue to make absolute fools of yourselves. 

[Ensemble1726583963]

Posted: 9/2/25 at 12:51am

They've updated their website now with images of ABF and Helen. He doesn't look as uncanny/robotic as Darren was made up to be, but maybe that'll come across more in person. Interested to know how it goes! 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 9/2/25 at 7:56am

PaigeTurner2 said: "They've updated their website now with images of ABF and Helen. He doesn't look as uncanny/robotic as Darrenwas made up to be, but maybe that'll come across more in person. Interested to know how it goes!"

Probably because the production wants to avoid being accused of robot-face. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/2/25 at 3:31pm

Also interested to hear reports from tonight on our new Oliver.

[Birdie Boy]

Posted: 9/2/25 at 3:37pm

Yea, tonight’s the night when Andrew shows the world what he’s got. Either he will silence the critics with a stunning performance, or he will stink and people will dig in. 

[Dolly80]

Posted: 9/2/25 at 3:53pm

Hopefully this thread can go back to discussing the actual show rather than all of the absolutely unhinged posts re the casting by some members.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 9/2/25 at 4:11pm

So far, ''Maybe Happy Ending'' has chosen not to address or acknowledge the casting controversy, so many questions are left up in the air: Did It ever consider an Asian-American actor to take over as Oliver (even though it apparently felt it was important that Criss' understudies were cast Asian-American)? Did it make a good-faith effort to find any? Or did they consider race irrelevant, and Feldman was deemed the best fit? Did no one ever consider the optics or backlash of replacing its Asian-American star (who had won a historic Tony, to boot) with a Caucasian actor? Were they really caught that flat-footed?

What's disappointing is that many in the Asian-American community had championed and cheered ''Maybe Happy Ending's" success as a source of pride and sign of progress with its nearly all-Asian-American cast on Broadway. The show itself had welcomed that good will, notably during Asian Heritage Month. So it's doubly discouraging that the show has betrayed their support by ignoring their concerns and deciding they're not even worthy of any reply.

Of course, no response IS a response, but it's just not a good look. Thirty-five years ago this summer (1990), "Miss Saigon" had defended its casting of Jonathan Pryce as the Engineer, in part, because it claimed it made a worldwide search to find an Asian to play it, but none could be found. After Equity approved Pryce for Broadway, ''Miss Saigon" admitted no such search had been held. On the 25th anniversary of the show in London, Cameron Mackintosh acknowledged he had misjudged the situation and now concedes that those arguing for an Asian to play the Engineer had a valid point.

So the show goes on tonight at ''Maybe Happy Ending,'' probably with cheers from Feldman's most fervent fans, including the leading lady he's dating.

But there'll also be hurt and heartache for the male Asian-American actors who thought their time had finally come on the Great White Way.

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 9/2/25 at 4:13pm

Birdie Boy said: "Yea, tonight’s the night when Andrew shows the world what he’s got. Either he will silence the critics with a stunning performance, or he will stink and people will dig in."

Well it is quite possible he does something that falls in between the inexplicable extremes you note.

[Birdie Boy]

Posted: 9/2/25 at 4:17pm

Impossible.  It’s either gonna be one or the other. 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 9/2/25 at 4:30pm

So glad Wayman slipped a sweet, heartfelt, and sincere ‘good luck’ essay in for Andrew before the half-hour call! 

Updated On: 9/2/25 at 04:30 PM

[CJRochester]

Posted: 9/2/25 at 4:52pm

Tonight's performance for Andrew's debut looks nearly sold out on Telecharge. Is anyone from here going? Break a leg, Andrew!