Latest news with #MichaelArden
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Maybe Happy Ending' director Michael Arden taps into the ‘universal heartbreak and joy' of his robot love story
"I think it's all about making sure that you're building a world for an audience ... and that you're making sure they're on the emotional ride that you want them to be on," explains Maybe Happy Ending director Michael Arden. For years, Arden has been one of the most prominent directors when it comes to reinventing worlds. He won a Tony Award for the recent revival of Parade, and earned additional nominations for his radical reimaginings of Once on This Island and Spring Awakening. But Maybe Happy Ending, which tells a near-future love story between two obsolete "Helperbots," marks the first time that Arden has directed a new musical on Broadway. More from GoldDerby Kieran Culkin Joins 'Sunrise on the Reaping' as Caesar Flickerman: Everything we know about 'The Hunger Games' prequel 'Monsters' stars on breaking furniture and bringing the Menendez case back into the spotlight Latest Tony Awards odds: 'Maybe Happy Ending' and 'Oh, Mary!' maintain their leads, Best Actress in a Musical tightens Speaking to Gold Derby, the director reveals what it was like to build a complex musical world from the ground up, and why he believes that this robot saga is actually about living. Gold Derby: What was it was about this script that hooked you the first time you read it? Michael Arden: It was that I started out feeling so distanced from the characters. Like, oh, these are robots in the future in Korea, that's nothing like me. And then by the time it was over, I thought, "Oh, that will be me one day in some way, shape, or form." I think that's what's so universal about the story, it kind of taps into the universal heartbreak and joy that is when you sign up to love, you sign up to lose. I just felt like I was watching my own life flash before my eyes through the lens of these strange robots, and I was so moved by that. Part of what makes the show so special is that you can't help but imprint your own experiences on these characters. Was that true for you as you created it? Definitely. I think what the writers have done so beautifully is that it is not overwritten in the slightest. They've left enough porous space in the material for you to fill in the blanks with your own experience. I think that's the show's magic in a way. You can be a teenager and project your first relationship onto it, or I've seen couples in their 90s who've come to see the show and are filling in the blanks with a lifetime of sadness and joy and hope and love. So it was certainly an interesting process in that almost every day there was a moment that just kind of brought me to my knees emotionally, because it was looking at a different chapter of love and of life. Making sure that we were both specific, and being universal enough to let everybody in, was the challenge and the fun of forming the piece. The world you've created combines this intimate sense of connection with huge technology and stagecraft. How did you reach that type of visual language? It was based upon the needs of the story. It's a really cinematic script, and either you kind of do it with two chairs and nothing, which I've heard is kind of what the Korean production does, or you have to go on the journey with these characters. And therefore we need to travel through all these spaces. We need to be in a car. We need to be on a ferry. We need to be in the woods. We need to go into the memories. So it wasn't that I set out to make something technological. In fact, everything we're doing is quite simple. It's just the coordination that makes it very complex. But we're just responding to the kind of widening lens of the perception of the world of these robots. It just felt like we had to respond to each chapter and each emotional beat physically. I felt it was important that the audience went on as much of an epic adventure as our robots did. The 'Chasing Fireflies' scene is a great example of what you're talking about. There's this grand reveal of the musicians and a lot of stagecraft involved, but it's quite simple in the emotion that it's conveying. How did you create that moment? In the script it says a firefly appears and then suddenly millions of fireflies appear. I think that's the only stage direction. I often take stage direction as metaphor and emotional suggestion. And I thought, "OK, well Oliver's greatest love is jazz, and it's because of his owner [Gil Brentley], which is because he loves people most of all. Fireflies are what Claire is most excited about because of what they represent, these kind of forest robots that don't ever need to charge. And even though they live briefly, there is a magic to it." So the metaphor to me became clear that it was connected to Gil Brentley and ultimately to other people. So having people be Gil Brantley's New Year's Eve Orchestra, as I kind of imagine in my mind, in the woods, seemed like an appropriate visual metaphor for that. And it's very simple. We open up an iris on the players who've been playing music all night, but somehow having them share space with our robots. … The human element is so powerful because we've been denied it all evening. We've just been stuck with the droids. But it reminds us that, oh, this thing is about life. The way I start and end the show visually is with an iris on [Oliver's plant] Hwa'Boon, who is kind of the witness to this story. He's the only living thing in those rooms. So he represents life because for me, the play is about living The chemistry between Darren Criss and Helen J Shen is integral to the story. What was it like working with them and charting their characters' relationship? Incredible in so many ways. They're both so curious and hardworking and really listen to each other and surprise each other. It's been so exciting to watch their performances grow over the course of the run. Helen is just such a pro, I can't believe this is their Broadway debut. It's really shocking because they're wise beyond their years. And Darren is just so meticulous and so curious and obsessive that it's sort of perfect for the role of Oliver, and he's just so good physically. I'm the choreographer of the show, so it was fun to get to work with them both physically and find the differences between the models that way. And then they've just really flown with it since opening it. The show has become a true word-of-mouth success. What is it like to experience this strong reaction from fans? It's the best part. Honestly. For many years we all believed in it so much. We knew that if we can just get people to see this, surely they will be as moved by it as we are. But we didn't quite expect the outpouring of love. I think what we've noticed is that people kind of leave the theater a bit more open and tender when they came in. And the most miraculous part is they have shared that, and invited their friends, and called their parents and said: go see the show. And they come back. It's just so rewarding because doing a musical is hard, especially doing a new musical with no nothing to kind of cling onto and a tagline that's probably somewhat alienating for many. So the fact that we are seeing such a swell of love and support is one of the most beautiful things. I stand in the back and see people holding hands and gasping and wiping their eyes as they leave the theater. It's just so rewarding to think, oh, we were right. I'm glad we didn't give up. We all feel just kind of … the word isn't disbelief because we all believed in it. I think it's just gratitude. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby Who Needs a Tony to Reach EGOT? Sadie Sink on her character's 'emotional rage' in 'John Proctor Is the Villain' and her reaction to 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' 'It should be illegal how much fun I'm having': Lea Salonga on playing Mrs. Lovett and more in 'Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends' Click here to read the full article.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Who took home the most Drama Desk Trophies—and why?
The 2025 Drama Desk Awards dazzled New York City's theatre community with a night of celebration, surprises, and record-breaking victories at NYU Skirball , hosted by the dynamic duo Debra Messing and Tituss Burgess. The ceremony—now in its 69th year—remains unique for recognizing the best of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway in the same competitive categories, making it a true barometer of New York's theatrical pulse. Leading the winners' parade was Maybe Happy Ending , which swept six awards. The show's creative team is led by director Michael Arden and writers Will Aronson and Hue Park. The musical, also a current Tony nominee for Best Musical, was widely celebrated for its innovative storytelling and emotional resonance. Debra Messing, co-hosting the event, remarked, 'Tonight is a celebration of the resilience, creativity, and passion that define New York theatre.' The Drama Desk Awards once again proved why they are a highlight of the theatrical calendar, honoring both established stars and rising talents in a night of unforgettable performances and heartfelt speeches.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Offerte Imbattibili Su Auto Usate PopularSearches | Annunci di Ricerca Scopri di più Undo 69th Drama Desk Awards: major winners 1. Outstanding Musical Winner: Maybe Happy Ending 2. Outstanding Play Live Events Winner: Purpose (by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins) 3. Outstanding Revival of a Play Winner: Eureka Day 4. Outstanding Revival of a Musical Winner: Gypsy 5. Leading Performance in a Musical Winners: Jasmine Amy Rogers ( BOOP! The Musical ) Audra McDonald ( Gypsy ) (TIE) 6. Featured Performance in a Musical Winners: Brooks Ashmanskas ( Smash ) Jak Malone ( Operation Mincemeat ) Michael Urie ( Once Upon a Mattress ) (THREE-WAY TIE) 7. Outstanding Director of a Musical Winner: Michael Arden ( Maybe Happy Ending ) 8. Outstanding Music, Lyrics, and Book Winners: Will Aronson & Hue Park ( Maybe Happy Ending ) 9. Outstanding Choreography Winner: Jerry Mitchell ( BOOP! The Musical ) 10. Outstanding Costume Design Winner: Gregg Barnes ( BOOP! The Musical ) 11. Outstanding Scenic Design Winner: Maybe Happy Ending (team/designer not specified in summary) 12. Additional Notable Winners (Design/Staging) Stranger Things: The First Shadow (3 awards, categories not specified) The Picture of Dorian Gray (3 awards, categories not specified)
Los Angeles Times
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Director Michael Arden is no longer Broadway's best kept secret
For too long, director Michael Arden was the best kept secret in the American theater. Insiders knew he was good. But it took a while to appreciate just how good. In a series of long-shot successes, beginning with the 2015 Broadway revival of 'Spring Awakening' with Deaf West Theatre, Arden has proved himself to be an expert at solving complex musical riddles. His 2017 Tony-winning revival of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's 'Once on This Island' not only made the 1990 musical politically viable in an era more scrupulous about racial representation and cultural appropriation, but the vibrancy of the staging uncovered new realms of enchantment. 'Parade,' Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown's 1998 musical about a historic miscarriage of justice involving a Jewish man wrongly accused of murder in the Jim Crow South, was considered a succès d'estime. Arden's Tony-winning revival showed just how short-sighted this was. His thrilling production, which arrives at the Ahmanson on June 17, managed to convert even some of the musical's most vociferous doubters. The Tonys acceptance speech he delivered, passionately addressed to the queer community, capped off the triumph with defiant dignity. This season, Arden has given Broadway its most surprising and heartwarming new musical, 'Maybe Happy Ending.' The show, which originated in South Korea, is a futuristic rom-com about two robots nearing the end of their life cycles who meet, fall head over heels and are forced to confront difficult questions about love and loss. Nominated for 10 Tony Awards, 'Maybe Happy Ending' exemplifies the qualities that have made the 42-year-old Arden not just an acknowledged Broadway maestro but a collaborative visionary. With scenic designer Dane Laffrey, his producing partner and frequent collaborator, Arden has formed At Rise Creative, dedicated to exploring 'dynamic storytelling with innovative design and technology.' Not all the projects that At Rise has a hand in are ones that Arden is slated to direct. This Broadway season the company was a co-producer of 'The Roommate' starring Mia Farrow and Patti LuPone as well as of Jamie Lloyd's kinetic revival of 'Sunset Blvd.' starring Nicole Scherzinger. Being on the front end of projects has given Arden a window onto how make-or-break artistic decisions are made. At Rise is a clear sign of his holistic approach to his work. He doesn't limit himself to what happens in the rehearsal room. He cares about the artwork for a show and how it's marketed, for example. And he wants his company members to feel part of a collective concern. 'I approach directing as a truly collaborative process,' he said. 'I want the actors not just to feel but to be immediately included in the work we are making. And I want the design, the visual part of the production, to be at the forefront along with questions about what story we're telling and why we are telling it.' He described his relationship with Laffrey in ways that sounded refreshingly non-territorial. 'He has a director's mind and I have a designer's mind,' he said. 'And we kind of yin-yang together.' Boundaries are necessary and hierarchies serve a purpose, but creativity depends on flexibility. 'Because it's an industry filled with wildly talented and complex minds, I say, 'Stay out of your lane.' Because oftentimes that's where the magic happens.' Wearing a sweatshirt from his alma mater, Juilliard, Arden was coming to the end of a long day at the midtown Manhattan studio he's been using. 'I don't really live here,' he joked, as he reached into a nearby suitcase for a change of clothes after our interview. Evening had fallen, but his day was far from done. In addition to the frenzy of 'Maybe Happy Ending' and the touring excitement of 'Parade,' Arden has two new Broadway musicals in the works. In the fall, 'The Queen of Versailles,' an adaptation of the Lauren Greenfield documentary starring Kristin Chenoweth, opens at the St. James Theatre. And in spring 2026, 'The Lost Boys,' based on Joel Schumacher's 1987 cult film, is set to open at the Palace Theatre. Yes, it's daunting to bring two new musicals to Broadway in such close proximity, but Arden is relieved that they couldn't be more different. 'Because it feels as if I have to work on both at the same time, it's a little like 'Severance,' ' he said. 'I get in the elevator and then come out the other side and exercise a totally different part of my brain and aesthetic sensibilities.' Arden's artistic calling manifested early. 'I grew up in a trailer park in Midland, Texas, and used to force all the neighbor kids to do plays that I guess I directed,' he said. 'Mostly it was an excuse to set things on fire. The fact that there's not much live flame at the end of my work these days is shocking to me.' His obsession with the stage was cultivated at a youth theater company. 'I loved every facet of it,' he said. 'I would build sets in my grandparents' garage. So I was interested in mise-en-scène even before I was acting. But then once I was able to perform, I completely fell in love with it.' The arts brought forth opportunities that otherwise would not have been there. He won a scholarship to Juilliard and was firmly on the acting track. 'Juilliard is so intense that it's like if you are an actor, it's all you must do,' he said. 'It must be your Holy Grail, and I definitely followed that for a while.' Arden was still at Juilliard when he was cast in the 2003 Broadway revival of 'Big River.' This Roundabout Theatre Company production with Deaf West Theatre was directed by Jeff Calhoun, who became a crucial mentor. Coincidentally, 'Big River' was the first musical Arden had seen growing up in Texas. That community theater production lit a flame in him. This landmark production with Deaf West opened a magic door. 'Jeff gave me my break, really,' Arden said. 'He directed the Deaf West 'Pippin' at the Mark Taper Forum, which I also did, and then I kind of followed in his footsteps. I learned so much working with deaf actors and about deaf treatment of material through my work with him. He also taught me a lot about stage pictures and movement and transitions — he's a fantastic director, obviously. I credit him with my start both as an actor and as a director.' The Taper production of 'Pippin' convinced Arden to give L.A. a go. He joked that he came out for the musical, but stayed for the weather. 'I did some film and TV work, but then ended up not working for a year,' he said. While working behind the counter of a gift shop in Los Feliz, he wrote a play for all his unemployed actor friends to be in. To get the production off the ground, he formed a theater collective, aptly named the Forest of Arden. 'That was the first thing that I directed,' he said. 'It was an adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's 'La Ronde.' It was a site-specific, immersive, promenade production, highly illegal. I'm shocked we weren't all arrested for doing it.' Schnitzler led straight to Frank Wedekind. When Deaf West asked if Arden would be interested in directing for the company, he had a title already in mind, 'Spring Awakening.' Arden had been chatting with his husband, actor Andy Mientus, about the Tony-winning musical by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater spun from Wedekind's drama. 'And that became my first ever real directing job and only the second thing I ever directed,' he said. The Deaf West production of 'Spring Awakening' had its premiere at Inner-City Arts in downtown L.A. in 2014. The next year the production opened at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills to rave reviews, paving the way to Broadway and a Tony nomination for musical revival. Arden wasn't quite able to crack the Stephen Sondheim-George Furth puzzle that is 'Merrily We Roll Along' at the Wallis in 2016. But he had a novel triumph with 'Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol', powered by the protean virtuosity of Jefferson Mays in the unforgettable 2018 Geffen Playhouse premiere that launched a new holiday classic for savvy theater lovers. The road to becoming one of today's most sought-after Broadway directors didn't just pass through L.A. Arden was intimately acquainted with the city's creative byways. New York is once again home, but Arden is too much a maverick to fall into the establishment trap. He wants to shape his own artistic destiny. It's a main reason he started At Rise Creative with Laffrey. 'In terms of my own work, I wanted a seat at the table,' Arden said. 'Often the director is kept at arm's length from the producing. My North Star is Hal Prince. The way he thought about his work, not just from a director's point of view but also from a producer's point of view, really interested Dane and me. We want to be able to support work that we want New York to see.' That matters not just to New York but to the rest of the world because what happens on Broadway isn't confined to the city's theater district. Arden is thrilled that his production of 'Parade' is going to Ahmanson. 'I've worked at the Taper as an actor. And I almost had a show at the Ahmanson with 'Once on This Island,' but it got canceled because of COVID-19. So I feel really fortunate that 'Parade' will be there.' He has been keeping close tabs on the touring production, not wanting his handiwork to get smudged in transit. Arden, to state the obvious, cares too much to be blasé about the quality of his work. Did he by chance see the production of 'Parade' at the Taper in 2009 that originated at London's Donmar Warehouse? Arden admitted that he not only saw it but had auditioned for it. So how did he brilliantly succeed where other directors only managed earnest respectability? Simplicity, he said, is what saved him. 'It's an epic, sprawling musical, and I was tasked with rehearsing it in two weeks and mounting it in a day and a half at New York City Center,' he said. 'So that was the first hurdle. And honestly, what a good one, because it forced me to think, What is the simplest way of doing this? How can I tell this really complex story with a ton of characters and a lot of historical specifics? There's a trial, for God's sake. How can I tell this clearly and yet keep it emotional?' For all of Arden's showman proclivities, his passion for innovative design and kinetic sceneography, he never loses sight of a work's beating heart. It is for this reason that 'Maybe Happy Ending,' which stars a perfectly matched Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen, is favored to win the Tony for musical this year. Visually, this musical about nonhuman characters resembles at moments the screen of an iPhone, but the humanity of the story is always in sight. 'Technology can never overshadow the actor unless there's some specific reason,' he said. 'That was kind of my guiding principle.' Arden reflected on the unique challenge posed by the musical: 'How do you design the future?' The answer Laffrey and he came up with involved remembering the past. 'We're always looking for ways to look forward and backward at the same time,' Arden said. 'The futuristic design, you'll notice, is very retro. It's a meld of old and new that hopefully makes it classic. You have to look in all directions for inspiration while supporting the story and allowing the audience to focus on the actors.' This prescription might actually constitute Arden's directorial signature. No one would call him a minimalist, but his holy of holies is not to allow his productions to eclipse his performers. 'I have to be really honest with myself and ask whether I'm trying to get my name or the characters' names in the review,' he said. 'I think the characters have to win.'
Korea Herald
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
'Maybe Happy Ending' clinches Drama League and Critics' Circle awards
With the Tony Awards still ahead, the musical's winning streak may be far from over. In a landmark season for Korean theater on the international stage, 'Maybe Happy Ending' added two more accolades on Friday to its growing list of honors at the 91st Annual Drama League Awards. The Broadway adaptation of the beloved South Korean musical won outstanding production of a musical, and director Michael Arden was awarded outstanding direction of a musical. The wins mark another significant milestone in the show's journey from intimate Seoul theaters to Broadway's spotlight. Earlier this month, "Maybe Happy Ending" was also named Best Musical by the New York Drama Critics' Circle, the second-oldest theater award in the U.S. after the Pulitzer Prize. The musical secured the majority vote on the first ballot, with 15 out of 23 New York-area drama critics backing the production. And the musical's winning streak may be far from over. It has garnered 10 nominations at the upcoming 78th Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical for Arden, and Best Actor in a Musical for Darren Criss. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on June 8. Set in a near-futuristic Seoul, 'Maybe Happy Ending' follows the story of Oliver and Claire — two outdated HelperBot androids discarded by their human owners — who find each other and form a bond neither expected. Starring Darren Criss as Oliver and Broadway newcomer Helen J Shen as Claire, the show blends science fiction with poignant emotional realism, bringing to life themes of connection, obsolescence and hope. The musical is the result of a long-standing collaboration between Korean playwright and lyricist Park Chun-hue, also known as Hue Park, and American composer Will Aronson. Together, they are nominated for three Tony Awards: best musical, best original score and best book of a musical. Aronson also received a separate nomination for best orchestrations, making him the most-nominated individual at this year's Tony Awards. The show's origins trace back to 2014, when it was first developed with support from Korea's Wooran Foundation. It premiered in Seoul in 2016 and ran for five seasons in intimate theaters, winning over audiences with its tender storytelling and cross-cultural musicality. Its English-language adaptation was first workshopped in New York in 2016 before finally reaching Broadway. Directed by Michael Arden, with orchestrations by Kim Scharnberg, the Broadway production opened at the Belasco Theatre in November 2024. As of late April, the production had surpassed 200 performances and $20.89 million in total box office revenue. Its run has been extended through January 17, 2026. Marking the 10th anniversary of its creation, the original Korean-language version of "Maybe Happy Ending" will return to the stage in Seoul this October.
