Helen J Shen and Darren Criss in ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ on Broadway. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.
Actress Helen J Shen chatted about starring in “Maybe Happy Ending” on Broadway opposite Darren Criss, and the “Maybe Happy Ending: Original Broadway Cast Recording” from Ghostlight Records.
How is your experience in “Maybe Happy Ending”?
I feel like every step of this journey has been a dream come true. Early days I felt a lot of imposter syndrome and anticipation about doing a good job, and I really leaned on my fellow cast mates and creative team.
They’ve been so supportive throughout this surreal experience, and it’s wonderful to get to share significant “firsts” with them.
What do you love most about your character?
I love Claire’s resilience in the face of hardship. She learned so much from her time helping people, and it hardened her.
That emotional shell allows her to feel free in the present. If everything will inevitably end, why not live now to the fullest?
How does it feel to have the original Broadway cast recording out for “Maybe Happy Ending”?
I am so proud of the cast recording. So many brilliant minds came together to make this piece, and that’s my favorite part about theater and music at large.
I’m especially excited that people who might not be able to come to NYC get to have a taste of the show from wherever they are.
A lot of my introduction to musical theater was through cast recordings, so I’m really excited that there will be a little kid out there somewhere who will be immersed in our show before making the trek to the Belasco.
What is your favorite song in the production? (that you perform)
My favorite song to perform is “How to Be Not Alone.” Claire sings this song toward the beginning of her and Oliver’s adventure together, and a thing that Will Aronson (one of the writers) said early on was that this is not a romantic love song.
If you read the lyrics it can be easy to assume that this is the first time that she has these sweet feelings, but it’s really wonderful to play against that.
Claire realizes that we can stand to gain a lot when we lean on each other and open ourselves up to emotion.
How does it feel to be an artist in the digital age? (Now with streaming, technology, and social media being so prevalent)
What I love about being an artist in the digital age is the access that people who are not physically in space with me can have. My 95-year-old grandma can experience this dream come true with me from her home across the globe.
As an artist, I also have to be vigilant and disciplined because I now have access to a lot more opinions about my art at my fingertips.
Art is to be engaged with, but as a person, I also have to protect my heart and mind from opinions that feel beyond human scale.
What is your advice for young and emerging artists?
The world will always need artists and the world doesn’t need replicas of other artists that came before.
It’s imperative to know what came before, to respect pioneers and trailblazers, and then it’s also imperative to put your own spin on things.
I spent a lot of time trying to be things that I thought other people wanted me to be, and when I started to cultivate my own artistic taste and trust in my voice, I enjoyed making my art a lot more.
Were there any moments in your career that have helped define you?
Working on two Off-Broadway shows at the same time last year was a defining moment for me.
The two shows could not have been more different and I understudied in one of them.
I learned so much from the actors that I worked with in those shows, specifically about how to lead a company with grace and generosity.
I was also very inspired by Lea Salonga growing up, and she’s come to see “Maybe Happy Ending” twice!
What does the word success mean to you?
Success, to me, means fulfilling one’s purpose, while working with people who inspire and spur you on. Doing “Maybe Happy Ending” feels exactly like that.
What would you like to tell our readers about “Maybe Happy Ending”? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it, and what would you like them to get out of the Original Broadway Cast recording?)
Our director Michael Arden would always remind us that “Maybe Happy Ending” is a show about living things — a show about life.
I hope our audiences are reminded of their loved ones; that with a limited amount of time on this Earth, all we can do is be with each other and be kind to one another.
Maybe Happy Ending: Original Broadway Cast Recording from Ghostlight Records is coming out on CD on May 30 and on vinyl in June, and it is available to stream via the following digital service providers.
To learn more about “Maybe Happy Ending,” check out its official website.
Read More: ‘Maybe Happy Ending (Original Broadway Cast Recording)’ review
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