Darren Criss

Since bursting onto the pop-culture landscape over a decade ago for his role in the cult-classic TV show Glee, Darren Criss has embodied the kind of kaleidoscopic artistry that’s entirely uninhibited by form or genre.

Before Criss exploded into internet subculture as both an actor and songwriter for the viral YouTube hit A Very Potter Musical in 2009, he made a small name for himself playing unique interpretations of popular songs in his hometown of San Francisco. Little did he know that his knack for covering tunes would serve him well in 2010, when he was cast on the massively successful series Glee, from which his renditions of popular songs led to several Billboard-topping records. In 2015, his songwriting landed an Emmy nomination for Best Original Music and Lyrics for the song “The Time,” which appeared in the show’s series finale. Criss has continued to write and produce music extensively through the years, whether for his own releases as an artist or as a songwriter for theater, film, and television.

In 2018 his work in Ryan Murphy’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story received wide critical acclaim, earning him Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Critics’ Choice Award wins. As a Broadway performer, Criss is a veteran of the stage whose credits include the titular role in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and the 2022 revival of David Mamet’s seminal play American Buffalo. This past May, Criss concluded his two-year run in the critically acclaimed Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending, for which he won a Tony Award for Best Performance in a Leading Role in a Musical.

Special thanks to our Center Stage Series sponsor AB Jets.