Posted: 4/5/25 at 12:32am
MAYBE HAPPY ENDING: A Broadway musical review
By Dan Souza
In today’s age of artificial intelligence, automation and robotics, numerous enquiries have emerged about the extent to which machine learning robots can evolve. Questions abound about whether these robots can develop human-like emotions and engage in interactions that mirror those of humans.
For those intrigued by such questions, Maybe Happy Ending will no doubt provoke even more questions. For those simply seeking an evening of entertainment, this production features a well-crafted futuristic storyline, thoughtful dialogue, outstanding singing and acting, and beautiful music – all framed within innovative electronic sets that utilize the latest light projections and technology.
The story takes place in the 2060s in Seoul, Korea, the home of technology giants like Samsung, giving us a sneak peek at what intelligent robots could be like in the future. The protagonists are a male “Helperbot,” Oliver, and his female counterpart, Claire, who reside across the hall from each other in a robot retirement facility, having been given up by their respective owners as they approach the end of their shelf lives.
Complete with hard drives, memories and the need for periodic charging, the young robots live mundane lives in tiny rooms, repeating the same routine as weather forecasting day after day. That is, until one day, Claire knocked on Oliver’s door to borrow his electric charger to recharge her depleting battery. To opera fans, the scene is reminiscent of Mimi’s chance meeting with Rodolfo in La Boheme, when she knocked on his door because her candle had gone out. The story takes unexpected emotional turns, making the audience question if a genuine relationship can develop between smart helper robots with their human-like advancement.
The role of Oliver is played by Darren Criss, probably most well-known for his character in the Emmy nominated tv series, “Glee.” Having worked in a broad range of productions as an actor, musician, songwriter, producer and in myriad other capacities, it comes as no surprise that Criss’ acting, singing and human-like robotic impersonation were amazing as well as unique.
Hailing from New Jersey, Helen J. Shen, an actor, classically trained pianist and writer, plays Claire in her Broadway debut and “kills it”. Shen’s portrayal of Claire as an endearing, human-like character instantly wins over the audience. She is well paired with Criss, harmonizing beautifully in their duets and lending credibility to the possibility of a hybrid human-robotic relationship between their respective characters.
Veteran actor, Marcus Choi, with multiple credits in productions such as Hamilton and Wicked, plays James, Oliver’s owner and other supporting human roles.
The music, composed by Will Aronson, was sublime under the baton of Music Director/Conductor John Yun. Yun’s credits include music director of Alicia Keys’ musical, Hell’s Kitchen, associate director at Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ as well as Tina: The Tina Turner Musical on Broadway. Hue Park co-wrote the lyrics with Aronson, raising them well above the too-often heard fluff of many musicals to a level that is witty, and at times, intellectual.
Maybe’s almost-all-Asian cast is a relatively unique feature seldom seen on Broadway. The musical, however, transcends race and delves into universal themes like mortality as when Claire delivers a touching monologue, “Everything must come to an end,” when faced with her limited remaining useful life, much as humans might ponder as they age. Or when she admonishes Oliver to forget his past human owner, advising that “people change” and one must move on.
The venue for Maybe is the historic Belasco Theatre on West 44th Street in Manhattan which enjoys a rich legacy. Designed by architect George Keister, it opened in 1907 and was later renamed after its founder, the renowned producer and director David Belasco. When visiting the theatre, be sure to enjoy the iconic, finely crafted Tiffany stained glass lighting, expansive murals and rich woodwork. Both the façade and interior of the Belasco have been designated as New York landmarks.
