The Helen J Shen Tony Award Snub Hurts — Here's Why It Happened

Helen J Shen in 'Maybe Happy Ending'. Credit : Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

by Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog Founder

Let me just say it plainly: Helen J Shen deserved a Tony nomination for Maybe Happy Ending. Not "could have," not "would have been nice if" — deserved. And the fact that she was left off the list isn’t just baffling, it’s frustrating, especially for those of us paying attention to the quiet brilliance happening off the mega-budget Broadway radar.

In a season stacked with powerhouse performances and star vehicles, Shen’s performance as Claire in Maybe Happy Ending was a revelation. Quiet, detailed, emotionally nuanced — the kind of performance that doesn’t beg for your attention but earns it in every beat. And maybe that’s the problem.

We're talking about a performance that anchored a show many critics (and a growing cult of audience members) have called one of the most emotionally affecting new musicals of the year. The story of outdated helper-bots discovering connection and love in a decaying future might sound high-concept, but Shen grounded it in something beautifully human. Her voice? Ethereal. Her timing? Impeccable. Her chemistry with co-star Darren Criss? Off the charts. It wasn’t just impressive — it was unforgettable.

And yet, no nomination.

Now, let's talk about why.

This isn’t a case of the performance being too small or the show being a flop. Maybe Happy Ending has been quietly winning hearts and racking up praise. The issue here is something we don’t talk about enough when it comes to awards season: how industry politics and name recognition influence outcomes.

This year, the Lead Actress in a Musical category is a stacked one. We’re talking Audra McDonald in Gypsy, for crying out loud. Of course she was going to be nominated. You don’t put Audra on stage and not write her name down on a ballot. Then you’ve got powerhouse comic performances in Death Becomes Her, where we knew that at least one of the leads, Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard, were going to be nominated. Jasmine Amy Rogers might have been a surprise to some, but if you’ve seen Boop!, it’s clear as to why she’s included. She is definitely putting in the WORK.

In my opinion, the only way Shen was going to get included was either edging one of them out, potentially outvoting Nicole Scherzinger for the polarizing…Yes, I said polarizing Sunset Boulevard, or tying in voting to be a sixth nominee(which is why the actor category has six nominees).

And let’s not ignore what’s probably the most glaring example of PR muscle meeting Tony momentum: Is Scherzinger’s performance compelling? Sure. Does that show give her every opportunity to belt, brood, and own the stage in capital letters? Absolutely. But what can’t be overlooked is the heavy campaign push behind her — red carpets, magazine covers, talk show appearances, nonstop buzz. Shen, meanwhile, was doing the work onstage, not in the press. And unfortunately, during Tony season, that sometimes matters more than it should.

But let me be clear: Helen J Shen isn’t going anywhere. Her performance was too special to ignore, even if the nominators somehow managed to(at least the Drama Desk voters got it right). She’s already made a lasting impact, and for many of us, she’ll remain one of the real highlights of the 2024–2025 season.

If the Tonys missed that, that’s on them.

Want to hear more about other surprising Tony snubs and shockers? OnStage Blog will be covering the entire season all week long — stay tuned.