The ASCAP Foundation has recognized musical theater writing duo Will Aronson and Hue Park, creators of the Tony Award-winning musical Maybe Happy Ending, with The ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award. The award is presented to promising composers of musical theater who have made a significant contribution to American music culture.
Aronson and Park’s work has been celebrated for its emotional depth, inventive storytelling and cross-cultural resonance. Their Broadway debut, Maybe Happy Endin,g earned six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book.
“The power of Will Aronson and Hue Park’s collaboration is undeniable. Their work has captivated audiences from Seoul to New York, transcending languages and cultures through stories and music rooted in human emotion,” said ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams. “They are bold storytellers with a bright future, and we are truly honored to support them on their musical journey.”
Established to honor ASCAP composers and lyricists who make a significant Broadway or off-Broadway debut, the award is funded by Mary Rodgers and the Rodgers Family Foundation. Previous recipients include Shaina Taub, Michael R. Jackson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Pasek & Paul, and David Hein & Irene Sankoff.
Will Aronson and Hue Park are musical theater writers who have created the original musicals Maybe Happy Ending (six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book), IL TENORE (Cha Beom-Seok Playwriting Award; Korean Musical Awards for Best Musical and Best Score) and most recently Ghost Bakery (Seoul’s Doosan Arts Center; TV adaptation in development).
They also created the musical stage adaptation of the film Bungee Jump, which won the Korean Musical Award for Best Score. They both live in Queens, New York, but are just as likely to be found writing in a cafe somewhere in Seoul. In addition to their work with Aronson, Park has written K-pop lyrics (including the top 20 song 울어도 괜찮아) and has translated many shows for the Korean stage, including The Phantom of the Opera, The Bodyguard and M. Butterfly. Aronson’s other work includes the musicals My Scary Girl (Best Musical, NY Musical Festival), Mother, Me & The Monsters (Barrington Stage, Boston Globe Critic’s Pick), Pete the Cat (TheatreworksUSA, nine national tours) and Hansel & Gretl & Heidi & Günter (NAMT grant).
