Tonight is a special night for Helen J Shen—not only is it her first time attending the Tony Awards, but she’ll also be performing a song from her show Maybe Happy Ending, which earned 10 nominations, including Best New Musical.

“Every step of this journey has been such a surprise,” Shen shared over the phone the day before. She was on a break between her Saturday matinee and evening performances, knowing she’d have to wake up early for the Tonys’ dress rehearsals.

For the big night, Shen and her stylist, Ashley Afriyie, wanted her look to reflect her character Claire, a helper-bot from the show. “I usually lean toward rock-and-roll styles, which is the opposite of Claire,” Shen said. “But playing her has taught me there’s strength in vulnerability and softness. That’s why I chose this Pamela Rolland dress—it’s feminine and delicate, almost like Claire is walking the red carpet with me.”

The same thought went into her beauty look, created by hairstylist Sky Kim and makeup artist Yoshi Sekimoto. Shen wanted to highlight the freckles she shares with Claire. “Claire’s freckles were my way of bringing us together,” she explained. “I’ve had natural freckles my whole life, but I used to cover them up, thinking they were flaws. Now, I embrace them—and doing that on Broadway feels amazing.”

Most of all, Shen hopes her glam inspires others. “I’ve always had a round face, and I loved seeing people like me in glamorous roles,” she said. “Part of me—little Helen—is so excited to lead a Broadway show, to be a romantic lead in a comedy, and to realize I don’t have to look a certain way to play these parts.”

Credits:
Photography: Miles Diggs
Styling: Ashley Afriyie
Styling Assistant: Olivia Hoernschemeyer
Styling Intern: Sarah Schewitz
Hair: Sky Kim
Makeup: Yoshi Sekimoto
Getting Ready Location: The Chatwal Hotel