Review: MAYBE HAPPY ENDING at Ohio Theatre

One can only imagine the pitch writers Will Aronson and Hue Park presented to convince someone to produce MAYBE HAPPY ENDING. “Okay, so this is a musical that’s a love story … involving robots … in South Korea.”

The far-fetched musical runs Nov. 3-8 at the Ohio Theatre (39 E. State Street in downtown Columbus). Despite its unlikely premise, the 2025 Tony winner for Best Musical works beautifully, thanks to its performances, setting and soulful script.

The production hinges on the performances of its two leads, Steven Huynh and Claire Kwon. The two portray displaced helperbots Oliver and Claire, androids who are built to serve others but find themselves no longer needed by their human owners. The bots live next to each other in a condo. After waiting 12 years for James to retrieve him, Oliver saves up his pennies to visit the man he once served. Oliver’s neighbor Claire, a bot that is living on borrowed time and a borrowed charger, convinces him to drive with her to find James.

In order to travel, though, the two must convince others they’re a human couple. The song, “The Rainy Day We Met,” gives the couple a chance to create a believable backstory but they can’t agree on anything:

Oliver: You wore a bright red raincoat that magic day
Claire: No way would I choose red for a raincoat
Oliver: Your beautiful red fur hat took my breath away
Claire: And now you're just describing Santa

Huynh and Kwon create a sort of Spencer Tracy–Katharine Hepburn chemistry. Huynh is a helperbot model 3, one of the earlier versions of the robot, and he captures the awkward movements and vocal tics. Oliver is far too literal and often brags about how model 3 is far superior to Claire’s model 5 series. Claire takes advantage of the earlier design flaws. She continually says “thank you,” knowing the model 3 always has  to respond with “You’re welcome.”

Since she is a later model, Claire comes across as more human than Oliver. Yet, she too has her limitations. When a past owner professes his love for her, she can only mechanically respond, “I have no answer for that.”

Over time, Huynh and Kwon’s relationship evolves from verbal sparring to a believable, romantic relationship. The scene in which the two share their innermost memories is far more moving than their awkward first kiss.

The two are supported by James Seol and Francisco Javier Gonzalez. Seol has a multitude of characters, including James and his son, Junseo. Gonzalez plays crooner Gil Brentley, a Dean Martin-like character who only appears when Oliver plays one of James’ old LP records. One of the funnier bits is when Brentley is belting out a song and hands Oliver his cocktail. Oliver takes a sip, which causes his system to short-circuit.

Moments like Oliver’s overload serve as reminders that these are bots, not a quirky couple that falls in love. While Brentley’s songs keep the show rooted in the past, Dane Laffrey (scenic designer) and George Reeve (video and projection) create a believable future without feeling like you stumbled into a scene from BLADE RUNNER. Oliver and Claire’s individual stories are revealed through swirling video projections. Set changes appear and disappear like someone is resizing and dragging images off a computer screen.

The only drawback is a scene in which a single firefly floats through the air. The imagery is powerful but the fact that it’s a person carrying a lighted stick takes away the magic of the moment.

MAYBE HAPPY ENDING might be just a showcase for two powerhouse performances or a visual masterpiece if it weren’t this well-crafted script that swirls together comedic, romantic, and poignant moments. Some lines make you laugh out loud. When the two spend the night in a “pay by the hour” motel, a guest scopes out Claire and declares she’s a 10. Oliver responds defensively, “No, she’s not. She’s a 5.” Other moments are heartbreaking. When Junseo asks to see Oliver’s collective memories of his father, Seol delivers the four-word line, “I just miss him,” with soul-crushing sincerity.

 MAYBE HAPPY ENDING is a clever title for this well-thought-out musical. Its conclusion leaves audiences debating whether the ending is actually “happy.” Regardless of how you answer that question, MAYBE HAPPY ENDING is a musical that won't be wiped out of your databanks any time soon

Photo credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

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