DARREN CRISS
Multi-hyphenate actor and musician, Darren Criss burst on to the scene as one of the most memorable TV characters of all time, Blaine Anderson in Fox’s hit show Glee. His portrayal of Andrew Cunanan in Ryan Murphy’s limited series, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, earned him a Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Critics’ Choice Award. In addition to his work on television, Criss is a veteran of the Broadway stage. He currently stars as Oliver in the all-new critically acclaimed original musical, Maybe Happy Ending, an offbeat and captivating story of two helperbots near the end of their warranty who discover that even robots can be swept off their feet. Additional Broadway credits include American Buffalo, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, and the off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors. Criss is also the founder of the annual Broadway-inspired music festival, Elsie Fest, and founding original member of viral musical comedy troupe StarKid Productions. As a recording artist, he released a solo EP titled Masquerade (BMG) and a full-length holiday album titled- aptly- A Very Darren Crissmas (Decca).
HELEN J. SHEN
Helen J. Shen (she/they) is an actor, musician, and writer who has quickly established herself as a force within the theatre industry. Helen currently stars in Maybe Happy Ending opposite Darren Criss and directed by Michael Arden. Helen most recently starred in MCC Theater’s musical The Lonely Few by Zoe Sarnak and Rachel Bonds, directed by Trip Cullman and Ellenore Scott, following their acclaimed performance in the show’s world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse in 2022. For their portrayal of JJ, Entertainment Weekly described them as a “force to be reckoned with.” Recently, she captivated audiences in Anna K. Jacobs and Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Michael R. Jackson’s musical Teeth at Playwrights Horizons, directed by Sarah Benson. Helen’s regional credits also include starring in Anna Ouyang Moench’s Man of God at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and as Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard at ACT of Connecticut. Helen earned a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan, receiving the esteemed Earl V. Moore Award.