Interview: Theatre Life with Steven Huynh

Today’s subject Steven Huynh is currently living his theatre life on tour as the lead character Oliver in the National Tour of Maybe Happy Ending. The Tony Award winning musical is currently “Hitting the Road” across the country including a stop here in DC at The National Theatre from October 6th to 11th.

Steven’s journey with Maybe Happy Ending began with the original Broadway company of the show. The show also mark’s his National Tour debut. Read on to see what his journey has been like.

He has also been seen off- Broadway in Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas which he would later perform in regionally.

Other regional credits include Little Shop of Horrors, and A Funny Thing…Forum. Readings and Workshops include Crazy Rich Asians, The Lost Boys, The Hello Girls, and The Turning.

You might have also seen him in your living rooms on episodes of The Good Fight and Blue Bloods.

There are many reasons to go see Maybe Happy Ending. First off, it is a truly original musical meaning it is not based on anything. That is a real rarity these days. Secondly, the score and book are just that good. It’s no wonder they both won the Tony Award. Lastly, and most importantly, the story will genuinely effect you in the best possible sense. The show does not manipulate your emotions like some other musicals do. When a piece of theatre can do that attention must be paid.

Grab your tickets to Maybe Happy Ending at The National Theatre and have one of the best experiences you’ll ever have watching a musical.

Steven Huynh is a big reason for that. It’s no wonder he is truly living his theatre life to the fullest.

How did you first get interested in performing?

My love for music and performing began in middle school, but it first arrived in the form of a trumpet! It expanded into more areas as I grew up, and by the time I graduated, I was involved in and held leadership positions for my school’s wind ensemble, marching band, choir, theater troupe, and telecommunications program. During my senior year, I played Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors and received a high school acting award nomination, and that experience inspired me to make acting my career.

Where did you receive your training?

Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. Bachelor of Music in Music Theatre, graduating class of 2021.

What was your first professional job as a performer?

My first role after graduating and moving to NYC was Wendell Porcupine in the Off-Broadway production of Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, directed by Christopher Gattelli at the New Victory Theater in December of 2021.

Can you please give us a brief overview of Maybe Happy Ending, and can you also tell us about your character in the show?

Maybe Happy Ending is the 6-time Tony Award winning musical set in the near-future Seoul, South Korea in 2064. We center around 2 retired Helperbots (think of human-like android assistants) named Oliver and Claire. They are both outdated and obsolete (though Claire is a newer model than Oliver) and live in a sort of retirement center for Helperbots. It’s through Claire’s charger breaking and her knocking on Oliver’s door that launches the two of them on this incredible adventure of finding Oliver’s old owner, searching for fireflies, and ultimately discovering just what it means to be human.

I play Oliver, a retired Helperbot Model 3 who has spent 12 years waiting for his owner James to return. He is an optimist who enjoys the safety and comfort of his apartment and daily routines, and he loves spending his time reading Jazz Monthly magazines, listening to his favorite records, and taking care of his best friend, a potted plant named HwaBoon.

Maybe Happy Ending seems to have a positive effect on its audiences even for those who were not expecting to enjoy the show going in? Why do you think the resonates with so many audience members?

Regardless of what stage of life you are in or what experiences culminate to the person you’ve become, Maybe Happy Ending finds a way to resonate with you because at its core, it focuses on our humanity and connection. These two Helperbots discover and navigate through love, loss, joy, grief, compassion, and sacrifice, and I believe that we as an audience find our own personal journeys reflected in them. The show reminds us of who we are, of the beautiful, flawed things that make us human, and our relationship and connection to those and the world around us.

Maybe Happy Ending is a rarity nowadays in the sense that it is a truly original musical. What is the best part for you as a performer about taking this particular one across the country?

My journey with Maybe Happy Ending began with the original Broadway company in 2024 as a standby for Oliver and for James. From day one, our director Michael Arden and writers Will Aronson & Hue Park have championed each actor bringing their own personal individuality to these Helperbots, which led to two years where I’ve been lucky to support, celebrate, and learn from incredible people who left their DNA in Oliver’s programming—Darren Criss, Andrew Barth Feldman, Zachary Noah Piser, and my fellow original Broadway cast Oliver standby, Christopher James Tamayo. As an actor, I believe in the profundity of introducing an audience member to Maybe Happy Ending or to Broadway musicals for the first time, and I’m beyond excited for the opportunity to affect audiences across North America with my distinct version of Oliver.

Special thanks to National Theatre's Marketing Manager Abby Berman for her assistance in coordinating this interview.