Black Box to Great White Way: Darren Criss’ Journey from StarKid to Broadway Star
On a mild yet brisk November evening in 2024, playbill in hand, I stood at the stage door barricades, excitedly awaiting the exit of the cast of Maybe Happy Ending, a brand new, original Broadway musical. With a small cast of only four, half of which—Helen J. Shen and Dez Duron—were making their Broadway debuts alongside Broadway alums Marcus Choi and Darren Criss, it was almost guaranteed I’d acquire every autograph.
A musical about robots falling in love may seem silly to many, as it initially did to me, but the story that played out on that stage proved to be profoundly human and a powerful existential look at obsolescence, loss, and, of course, love. Admittedly it was the casting of Darren Criss that most compelled me, a long-time fan since 2010, to give the show a chance. In my brief interaction with Criss at the stage door that night, I thanked him for always “being a light” in the world and for “being [him]self”, to which he responded true-to-character: “I’m not always me, sometimes I’m a robot, sometimes I, like, play Harry Potter…” Harry freakin’ Potter, to be exact.
Filipino-American award-winning actor, singer-songwriter, and composer Darren Criss is perhaps best known for his portrayal of openly-gay teen Blaine Anderson in the hit television series Glee (2009) and particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. But before he made his Broadway debut as J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying in 2012, Criss followed a similar trajectory as the show’s main character, gaining a cult following and major, unexpected success that skyrocketed him up the ladder of the industry. How? By starring in a small, shoestring production of a parody musical that was uploaded to YouTube in 2009.
While the performing arts industry has historically been a difficult beast to navigate, particularly for individuals who are not born into it, the rise of social media and YouTube in the early aughts resulted in a phenomenon that elevated several underdogs and leveled the playing field for novice singers, songwriters, composers, and even aspiring Broadway actors. All it took was one post or video to go viral, and history was made. At least, that was the case for a group of college friends just messing around and having fun doing what they love when their production of a parody musical A Very Potter Musical (2009) breached containment and set one particular actor, Darren Criss, on his path to Broadway.
As the child of a musician, I was raised on musicals, watched my older siblings perform, and eventually had the opportunity to perform in choirs and stage productions. I also tore through books and devoured the Harry Potter series in record time, so discovering Darren Criss felt like finding a friend—at least, a like-minded individual who isn’t afraid to unapologetically be himself and devote his life to artistic endeavors and creating space for others to escape and find joy. A fellow millennial, Criss has played roles that have helped queer individuals of all ages see and accept themselves. And at a formative and particularly difficult stage in my life, engaging with Criss’ work led to many meaningful connections and community that inspired me to keep going, creating, and doing what I’m most passionate about, all the while never forgetting to have fun in the process.
A San Francisco native who grew up performing in local theater productions and covering Disney songs at coffee shops, Criss naturally went on to pursue a BFA from the University of Michigan in Theater Performance, with minors in Musicology and Italian. It was at U of M that a group of Harry Potter-loving theater nerds, including Criss, joined forces and ultimately formed a theater production company called StarKid Productions, named for the series of nicknames given to the title character by their alternate universe Draco Malfoy (Lauren Lopez), various space references within the show, and perhaps a collective love of Star Wars amongst the cast.
Using variations of original songs Criss had written along with new songs written exclusively for shows, the friend group went on to produce several more pop-culture-related shows, including two more Potter musicals, Starship (2011), Holy Musical B@man! (2012), and Ani: A Parody (2014), the latter two of which Criss was not involved in composing and played no role. While he has remained committed to and in full support of StarKid, by 2010 he had hit another bout of accidental success after being cast in what was meant to be a recurring guest role on Glee (2009), but Criss’ charisma and talent led him to become a permanent fixture on the show. He was promoted to main cast and portrayed Blaine Anderson until the show’s conclusion in 2015.
At that point, he had earned international acclaim as well as gained the favor of television writer, director, and producer Ryan Murphy, who later cast him in the role of serial killer Andrew Cunanan in the FX TV miniseries The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018), and Raymond Ainsley in the miniseries Hollywood (2020). Although both roles had Criss stray from his musical theater background, in 2017 he guest starred on a crossover musical episode of CW’s Supergirl (2015) and The Flash (2014) as The Music Meister alongside other Glee (2009) alum and Broadway actors, including Grant Gustin, Melissa Benoist, Jesse L. Martin, and Jeremy Jordan.
His television roles had also led him to roles in films such as HBO documentary Six by Sondheim (2013), a tribute to Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, Midway (2019), and Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021). Criss also broke into voice acting in 2011, giving voice to characters in video games as well as movies and shows such as Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises (2013), Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths (2024), and Hazbin Hotel (2024).
Mention Darren Criss in a room, and you’re likely to get one of two reactions: blank stares, or the most brilliant lighting of eyes followed by “I love him!” While Criss’ résumé is certainly lengthy and impressive for someone his age, most of which can be viewed on IMDb, and he has performed alongside some of the biggest names in television, film, music, and theater—even opening The 75th Annual Tony Awards (2022) alongside Julianne Hough and performing at The White House on multiple occasions—he’s still not a household name.
Instead, mentioning his name is a surefire way for many nerds, especially queer and neurodiverse, to find their people. This can probably be explained by the fact that Darren Criss has always stayed true to his roots and what he’s most passionate about.
Speaking of passion, in the midst of his hectic career, Criss co-founded Elsie Fest, “Broadway’s [first] outdoor music festival featuring stars and songs of the stage and screen”, in 2015 with the help of some friends in the industry. While it has experienced some stop-and-go, it remains an annual event that takes place in NYC.
Previously, Criss starred in three Broadway shows, How to Succeed, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and American Buffalo, with an off-Broadway stint in Little Shop of Horrors, only to now originate the role of Oliver, a retired Helperbot who falls in love with another Helperbot, in Maybe Happy Ending, a futuristic South Korean show written and composed by Will Aronson and Hue Park and directed by Michael Arden that debuted at the Belasco Theatre in October 2024.
With Tony nominations fast-approaching in early May, predictions have been circling the internet that Criss may be the recipient of a nomination for Best Actor (Musical), with his fans hoping beyond hope for what could be his first nomination and win. If that doesn’t pan out, then certainly there’s still hope for Maybe Happy Ending to secure Best Musical. If what the critics have been saying about the show is any indication of its chances, then we may very well be celebrating another huge milestone in Darren Criss’ career come June—and it’s gonna be totally awesome!