Michael Arden and Dane Laffrey Put the 'Maybe' of Maybe Happy Ending's Broadway Journey in the Rearview Mirror

In the world of commercial Broadway, you'd be hard-pressed to find a taller task than convincing audiences to come see a musical they've never heard of. Maybe Happy Ending director Michael Arden and designer Dane Laffrey were aware of the risks when they opened the show at the Belasco Theatre this past fall—a time Arden describes as equal parts "peril" and "joy." But Laffrey found solace in the deep knowing: "If this show can't work, our industry has a problem." 

Good news for Broadway's health check. Maybe Happy Ending won over audiences with its quirky premise (a robot love story), its deeply felt music (by Will Aronson and Hue Park) and its captivating stars (Darren Criss and Helen J Shen). It's also up for 10 Tony Awards, including nods for both Arden and Laffrey, whose Broadway collaborations will number eight once The Queen of Versailles lands at the St. James this October. 

Follow Arden and Laffrey on a tour of the Belasco alongside Broadway.com Editor-in-Chief Paul Wontorek as they reflect on their journey with Maybe Happy Ending, dish some secrets about their haunted Broadway house and look ahead to their next projects bound for the New York stage.