New musical Maybe Happy Ending to star Darren Criss and Helen J Shen on Broadway

Darren Criss will return to Broadway alongside newcomer Helen J Shen in new musical Maybe Happy Ending.

Set to begin preview performances on September 18 at the Belasco Theatre, the show has an official opening night slated for October 17.

Maybe Happy Ending is a musical comedy set in Seoul, focusing on the life of a retired Helper-Bot named Oliver, portrayed by Darren Criss. Oliver’s peaceful retirement takes an exciting turn when he meets his Helper-Bot neighbor Claire, played by Helen J Shen, sparking a friendship that could blossom into love.

Dez Duron, known from NBC’s The Voice, will also be making his Broadway debut in the show, with further casting details to be announced.

The musical, penned by Will Aronson (music and book) and Hue Park (lyrics and book), was crafted in both Korean and English-language versions.

It first made waves in December 2016 at the DaeMyung Culture Factory in Seoul, earning critical acclaim and six Korean Musical Awards, including Best Musical. The English-language version received the 2017 Richard Rodgers Production Award and made its U.S. debut at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta.

Tony Award winner Michael Arden, known for his work on Parade, will direct the Broadway production, continuing his role from the Atlanta performances.

The production team is packed with acclaimed talent, including scenic and additional video designer Dane Laffrey, Tony Award-winning costume designer Clint Ramos, Tony Award-nominated lighting designer Ben Stanton, and Tony Award-winning sound designer Peter Hylenski.

Video design will be managed by George Reeve, with Deborah Abramson as the music supervisor and John Yun as the music director. Justin Scribner serves as the production stage manager.