Video: Michael Arden Is Maybe the Happiest Director on Broadway

Michael Arden has a lot to be happy about this year. The Tony-winning director is the mastermind behind one of the most acclaimed new shows of the season, Maybe Happy Ending. The musical, which stars Darren Criss and Helen J Shen, is about two robots who find love- a concept he admits he was unsure of at first.

"I did my due diligence and listened to the score and read the script," Arden told BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge. "By the time I was finished I was completely blown away and moved. It felt like one of the most human stories I had ever read. The score was so fresh and yet so nostalgic- it felt like something completely new and completely classic at the same time."

The Broadway actor-turned-director is really reveling in his offstage role. Maybe Happy Ending opened on Broadway on November 12, 2024 and Arden is already hard at work on two new Broadway projects- The Queen of Versailles, starring Kristin Chenoweth, and The Lost Boys. 

"I'm so grateful for the experiences I've had as an actor, because they influence my work as a director, I hope! Maybe I'll get back onstage again, but boy, I'm loving watching people perform in my work... I'm so in love with what is possible."

Get Maybe Happy Ending Tickets From $80

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Lighting Design - Top 3

1. Jen Schriever, Michael Arden - The Lost Boys

30.1% of votes

2. Kevin Adams - Chess

15.5% of votes

3. Paige Seber - Titanique

7.3% of votes

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