2025 Tony Winner Darren Criss Returns to Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway November 5

Tony winner Darren Criss is returning to Maybe Happy Ending beginning today, November 5 following his 9-week leave-of-absence. Criss returns to the role that made him the first Asian American to win Best Leading Actor in a Musical at the 2025 Tony Awards.

via: Playbill

Criss, the 2025 Tony winner for Best Leading Actor in a Musical (and for Best Musical as one of the show's co-producers), has been away from the show on a leave of absence since August 31. Andrew Barth Feldman played the role in the interim.

Maybe Happy Ending opened at the Belasco November 12, 2024. The musical, featuring a Tony-winning book and score by Hue Park and Will Aronson, is the most Tony-winning show of last season. The show was also one of three productions to be the most nominated of the season, with nods in 10 categories. See the full list of 2025 Tony winners here.

With Criss back at the Belasco, the musicial's original Broadway cast is back in full, with Helen J Shen and Criss starring as, respectively, Claire and Oliver, South Korea-based Helperbots that have been deemed obsolete. The pair form an unlikely bond, setting off a surprising and romantic adventure. The cast also features Dez Duron and Marcus Choi, along with understudies Steven Huynh, Hannah Kevitt, Daniel May, Claire Kwon, and Christopher James Tamayo. Casting is by Telsey & Co's Craig Burns.

The casting of Feldman, notably also co-star Shen's offstage boyfriend, as Criss' replacement attracted a wave of controversy in the theatre community. Criss made history earlier this year becoming the first Asian American actor to win Best Leading Actor in a Musical, one of his two wins of the night (as a co-producer of Maybe Happy Ending, Criss also shares the show's Best Musical win). The show is set in Korea, hence the controversy surrounding the casting of Feldman, who is white. The show's creators released statements saying they'd always planned for Criss and co-star Shen's characters to be available to actors of all races due to both being robots in the world of the show. Critics called the casting out as taking away a rare opportunity for Asian actors to own a leading role in a major, Tony-winning musical. Tony-winning playwright B.D. Wong released a public letter criticizing the casting, with more than 2,400 co-signatories including Bowen Yang, Awkwafina, and Ruthie Ann Miles.

Two-time Tony winner Michael Arden directs, leading a creative team that also includes includes scenic and additional video designer Dane Laffrey, costume designer Clint Ramos, lighting designer Ben Stanton, sound designer Peter Hylenski, video designer George Reeve, music supervisor Deborah Abramson, and music director John Yun.

Visit MaybeHappyEnding.com.