5 Reasons to See Maybe Happy Ending

It's not common for a show, any show, to get unanimous rave reviews—much less a sci-fi musical where actors play robots. But that's been the case for Maybe Happy Ending, which is truly this season's the little musical that could.

The musical, which has previously been a hit in Korea and Japan, premiered on Broadway written by a team that was unknown to American musical theatre: Will Aronson and Hue Park. It had an entirely original premise, meaning no already successful source material. And yet, it's inspired universal rave reviews from critics and a passionate fanbase that has even formed its own subreddit—propelling it from a show that barely made $300k in a week to joining The $1 Million Club. But should you go see it?

Below are five reasons why Maybe Happy Ending at the Belasco Theatre has captured the hearts of musical theatre fans, and why it may be the show for you.

1. It's entirely original

While a revival of a beloved musical or a stage adaptation of a familiar film have their places in the Broadway ecosystem, it is equally important to carve out space for musicals that are trying to tell an original story. There's a reason that so many musicals are adaptations. Having a set storyline with the dramatic beats already written out makes it easier for any composing team—a third of the work is already done! So it is truly rare for a story to come to the stage that has an entirely original story and music. And it is even rarer for the story to be as resonant and well-constructed, with equally thrilling songs, as in Maybe Happy Ending.

If you're the kind of theatre fan who is looking for a surprise and something you truly have not seen before, Maybe Happy Ending is the show for you. If you're the kind of person who wants more new, quirky shows to be produced on Broadway more often, then it is important to support the ones that currently exist. And when they're a musical as strong and as special as Maybe Happy Ending, buying a ticket is a no brainer.

2. It's like if Totoro and Wall·E had a baby

Now, though Maybe Happy Ending is an original story, it will still feel familiar to you if you're a fan of Studio Ghibli and Pixar films. That's because while the show is set in the future and is about robots who fall in love, it does that delightful thing that animated films do so well: It uses out-of-this-world characters and experiences as a metaphor for real-life anxieties. Sure, the robot romance seems at first glance straight out of Wall·E. But Maybe Happy Ending uses its characters discovering love and the wonders of the world for the first time as a metaphor for aging and loss (no spoilers, just bring tissues). If you're the type of person who watched My Neighbor Totoro and felt both delighted and sad because that film is actually two girls being scared of losing their mother, Maybe Happy Ending will have plenty of deeper meaning and substance for you to chew on.

Marcus Choi and Darren Criss in *Maybe Happy Ending* Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

3. It's an entertaining rom-com

If you don't want to go too deep into metaphors, that's okay too! Maybe Happy Ending also works as a straightforward romantic-comedy about two robots learning "why love" and the value of human (or rather, bot) connection. The central characters are so well-drawn—from the uptight rules-following Oliver (played with awkward perfection by Darren Criss) to the sarcastic-yet-vivacious Claire (played by the charming Helen J Shen)—that they feel like real people even if they are in an improbable situation. Their banter is so clever and funny, with Criss and Shen having such easy chemistry, that you quickly understand why these two robots are attracted to each other—there's a reason why opposites attracting is such a beloved rom-com genre. Plus, the supporting cast of three (Dez Duron as a jazz crooner, Marcus Choi in a variety of roles, and an all-seeing plant named Hwaboon) make such a strong impression that as soon as they leave the stage, you want them to come back. A well-constructed romantic comedy has become rarer in this age of reboots and superhero stories, so we're not exaggerating when we say that Maybe Happy Ending is definitely one of the best rom-coms of the decade.

4. The score is soothing blend of jazz and chamber music

Though the show is set in the future, it has a cozy mid-century and jazz-age aesthetic—Oliver listens to vinyl records and a jazz singer in a suit is a recurring character in the show. This is also reflected in Will Aronson's score, which has a chamber orchestra sound with some beautiful strings (if you love cellos, this is the show for you) and jazzy love songs that are so spot-on that you would think they were real standards. There's no heavy belting and no bombastic ballads. If your music taste leans towards quiet introspection, then Maybe Happy Ending will make your ears happy.

But its quietness doesn't mean the music isn't powerful. Think of the score of Maybe Happy Ending as a firefly, a spark of brightness that seems light and airy, but then it lands on you and you realize it's full of substance and meaning. Consider these lyrics, so simple with an elegant rhyme scheme, but their deeper meaning is remarkably poignant: "Those sunny afternoons you spent with me, they'll still be happening just somewhere in the past. Each simple moment was a luxury. They're not less valuable, just 'cause they didn't last." Prepare to be tearing up in the portion of the show when that song appears.

Helen J Shen and Darren Criss in *Maybe Happy Ending* Matthew Murphy

5. The set design is out of this world

Now, just because Maybe Happy Ending has only four characters and a 10-member orchestra doesn't mean it's a small show. Criss told us back in August that the show had Phantom of the Opera-level spectacle which, we admit, we were curiously skeptical about. But then we were won over after the first time the set in Maybe Happy Ending moved, and we continued to be wowed throughout the show's 90-minute runtime. Initially, the musical seems like just a simple unit set of two apartments next to each other. But as one scene elegantly moves into the next, and the set opens up in increasingly surprising ways, plus how the characters interact with projections (which sparkle in a way we've never seen onstage)....we have to admit: Criss was right. In a time when technology seems like it's being used to cover up a show's flaws—or as a shortcut in lieu of a better, practical option—the tech-heavy set design for Maybe Happy Ending perfectly complements the story it is telling, while wowing the audience with effects that many of us have not yet seen on a stage.

Buy tickets to Maybe Happy Ending via its official ticket seller here.