Maybe Happy Ending

““Maybe Happy Ending” [is] a ravishing addition to the catalog of Broadway nerdicals. The term is high praise, honoring supersmart, usually small-scale shows — like “Fun Home,” “The Band’s Visit” and “Kimberly Akimbo” — that nevertheless have big emotional impact. This one, directed with breathtaking bravura by Michael Arden, gets bonus points for difficulty, too”

“Both Criss and Shen give excellent, very different performances... One of the achievements of the production is the very complete world that director Michael Arden has created. The sleek, futuristic set (by Dane Laffrey) draws on Korean design, provides a clear sense of time and place... “Maybe Happy Ending” is an undeniably moving, well-made, adorable musical, and it is a pleasant surprise to see an audience weep at a show about two robots in love.”

“Maybe Happy Ending stands out for both its intimacy and its originality. Arden and his actors approach the material with a delicate touch; they trust the romantic comedy to be charming, which it is, and let the wistfulness emerge naturally.”

“Michael Arden’s slick production... might feel like 2064 on the surface, but in its nostalgic, rechargeable heart, the show parties like it’s 1999... Shen and Criss are the ones who make it work. Shen especially is a delight to watch, with an open, emotive face full of quicksilver expressions and a tartness that can turn explosive when she needs it to.”

“The odd and simple premise of “Maybe Happy Ending” accomplishes something profound, in examining the nature of connection.”

“All in all, it’s familiar territory...simplicity is at the core of this tale.”

“Maybe Happy Ending dazzles with its love story and astounds with its visual accomplishments. There's nothing robotic about this production: it wears its heart on its sleeve and on charm alone, succeeds.”

“...the tender musical’s many heartbreaking and uplifting moments sneak up on us”

“I can only tell you how impossible it is to relate the freshness, the joy and the quality that elevate every aspect of this extraordinary work of theatre artistry. While the rapturous music and lyrics by the team of Will Aronson and Hue Park break your heart, the dazzling direction by Michael Arden reaches levels of perfection in staging and the technical marvels in the settings by Dane Laffrey leave you slack-jawed with awe. There is nothing familiar, no “seen it before” feeling to the action sequences that unfold... I love this show and cannot wait to see it again—and often.”

““The cast is remarkable, and the chemistry between Oliver and Claire is penetrating”

“It’s a beautiful, sincere show that reminds me of smaller musicals”

“Utterly beguiling new musical that has Criss and Shen as obsolete robots who fall in love.”

““…speaks directly to the isolation and technological displacement we experience today.””

“an original show, charmingly acted and cleverly staged, with a touching take on love”

“Maybe Happy Ending [is] an exceptionally well-oiled and visually sublime production... Broadway newcomer Helen J. Shen shines as Claire... Director Michael Arden’s gorgeous staging makes the most of Dane Laffrey’s multilevel sets behind sliding panels and George Reeve’s floor-to-ceiling videos... Maybe Happy Ending has theatrical magic.”

“'Maybe Happy Ending', the quirky/charming futuristic musical”

“Despite its flaws, 'Maybe Happy Ending' exudes an undeniable charm and warmth”

“Visually stunning, it epitomizes the journey of appreciation of the human world.”

“a sui generis original that is as understated in its storytelling”