By Daniel Dunaief
The back story for Maybe Happy Ending, the Tony Award winner for best musical, could in and of itself become its own drama.
The show chronicles an unusual love story between two “Helperbots,” which are humanoid robots that had been personal assistants. The musical wasn’t exactly a smash hit out of the gates, despite a compelling script and, as it turns out, well received performances from its leads Darren Criss of Glee fame and Helen J. Shen.
“It was a situation of, can we get people to come to the musical, because it is an exciting new original musical” that is set in the future, said co-lead Producer and long-time Setauket resident Dr. Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra. “While it doesn’t dwell on technology or futurism, it tells a story of two human-like robots that are living in the not too distant future.”
It was a challenge to introduce Broadway audiences to this story and these characters, when it was competing against legacy shows and revivals.
Amid early concerns about whether Maybe Happy Ending was financially viable, Hurst-Della Pietra said the team “used to call ourselves the little engine that could.”
Indeed, amid positive reviews and with enough support, the show survived its early unsteady beginnings.
“You’ve heard of the expression, ‘It takes a village?’” Hurst-Della Pietra asked rhetorically. “I’m really delighted that people believed in the show. I personally adore the show and really had my heart and soul in it. I can’t be more pleased with the outcome.”
Hurst Della-Pietra, who played Anita in West Side Story at French Woods in the summer when she was growing up, became involved with theater professionally when her daughter Ava started performing. She has been a producer on nine other shows.
Amid the tailwinds of numerous awards, including five other Tonys including one for Best Actor for Darren Criss and for set design, the show is planning to travel around the country and through Europe.
The music in the show deals with themes of loneliness and the search for connection.
The song “How to Not Be Alone,” which Hurst-Della Pietra describes as “very warm” and “poignant,” frames love as a choice, even as it doesn’t guarantee anything.
“I feel like there’s a lot of young people in their 20’s and 30’s that are kind of wanting,” said Hurst-Della Pietra. “They’re not as connected as prior generations.”
The two HelperBots are different from each other, but they are “giving it a go and they’re willing to try for love and they’re not perfect,” she said.
The song is “really about choosing not to be alone as long as you can help it,” said Hurst-Della Pietra.
Darren Criss plays Oliver, is obsessed with his jazz albums and taking care of his plant, while Shen plays Claire, who is affected by the rancor of her previous owner’s unhappy relationship.
Oliver plans to travel to Jeju Island to reconnect with his former owner James. Claire decides to join him to see fireflies, although the two HelperBots aren’t allowed to travel on their own.
To appear human, they develop their own story, which becomes a song called “The Rainy Day We Met.”
Hurst-Della Pietra describes that song as “cute and comical and super well done.”
Every time she’s seen the show, which, at this point is over 20 times, “I shed a tear.”
The title refers to the ambiguity about the ending of the show as well as the ambiguity that occurs throughout the show, the co-lead producer said.
She appreciates that the show addresses how we all deal with the fact that we are going to lose the people we love.
The show explores “the reality we all face,” she said. “I really like that human story.”
Hurst-Della Pietra is thrilled with the team that made this show possible, including Criss and Shen as well as director Michael Arden, scenic designer Dane Laffrey, video and production designer George Reeve, as well as the contributions of the two main lead producers Hunter Arnold and Jeffrey Richards.
“I couldn’t have had better people with whom to do it,” said Hurst-Della Pietra. “It was a joyful experience.”
