Videos: MAYBE HAPPY ENDING Stars Perform From the Hit Musical on The TODAY Show
Watch Darren Criss, Helen J. Shen, and more perform from the Tony-nominated musical.
By: Josh Sharpe May. 01, 2025
As previously announced, the stars of the Tony-nominated musical Maybe Happy Ending joined The TODAY Show this morning to perform from the hit musical for "Broadway Week". During their visit, Darren Criss, Helen J. Shen, Dez Duron, and the much-loved HwaBoon took the stage to treat viewers to performances of "Rainy Day We Met," "How To Be Not Alone," and "A Sentimental Person."
Before their performances, the cast reacted to the 10 Tony nominations the production received, including Best Musical and Best Performer for Darren Criss. "There's a lot to take in, obviously, but we're just happy to be showing up for this show in any respect," Criss shared. "It's the craziest morning of my life, probably," said Shen.
To perform “A Sentimental Person," actor and singer Dez Duron joined the show, marking his network television debut. As for the show's Tony nominations, Duron said, "I've been a part of the show for five years, and it's absolutely changed my life. So I'm excited that people are loving it as much as we have."
Maybe Happy Ending stars Darren Criss and Helen J Shen with music by Will Aronson, lyrics by Hue Park, book by both Aronson and Park, and direction by Tony Award-winner Michael Arden. The cast also includes Steven Huynh, Hannah Kevitt, Daniel May, and Christopher James Tamayo.
Inside a one-room apartment on the outskirts of Seoul, Oliver (Criss) lives a happily quiet life listening to jazz records and caring for his favorite plant. But what else is there to do when you’re a HelperBot 3, a robot that has long been retired and considered obsolete? When his fellow HelperBot neighbor Claire (Shen) asks to borrow his charger, what starts as an awkward encounter leads to a unique friendship, a surprising adventure, and maybe even...love?
Nominated for 10 Tony Awards and winner of the Richard Rodgers Award, Maybe Happy Ending is the offbeat and captivating story of two outcasts near the end of their warranty who discover that even robots can be swept off their feet. Helmed by visionary director and Tony Award winner Michael Arden (Parade, Once on This Island), with a dazzling scenic design by Dane Laffrey (A Christmas Carol) and book, music, and lyrics by the internationally acclaimed duo Will Aronson and Hue Park, Maybe Happy Ending is a fresh, original musical about the small things that make any life worth living.
Maybe Happy Ending was written in both Korean and English-language versions. The Korean-language version opened in December of 2016 at DaeMyung Culture Factory in Seoul and subsequently won six Korean Musical Awards including Best Musical. The English-language version was awarded the 2017 Richard Rodgers Production Award and had its U.S. premiere at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta in the 2019-2020 season under the direction of Michael Arden.
