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Darren Criss

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Darren Criss
Criss performing in November 2010
Born
Darren Everett Criss

(1987-02-05) February 5, 1987 (age 37)
San Francisco, California
Occupation(s)Actor, Singer-songwriter
Known forTeam StarKid
Glee

Darren Everett Criss (born February 5, 1987)[1] is an American television actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer and internet personality. He is best known for his portrayals of Harry Potter in the musicals A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel, as well as playing the role of Blaine Anderson, an openly gay student, in the second season of Glee. [2]

Early life and education

Criss was born in San Francisco, California. His mother, a native of Cebu, Philippines is a Filipina and his father has Irish ancestry.[3][4] He attended Stuart Hall for Boys as well as Saint Ignatius College Preparatory.[5] As a child, Criss played a variety of instruments, some of which include violin, guitar, piano, cello,[failed verification] mandolin,[failed verification] and drums. During this time, he played drums in a band with his brother, Chuck, until Chuck moved to New York City to develop his music career (and subsequently joined the indie rock group Freelance Whales).[6][7]

Criss made his professional stage debut at the age of ten, in 42nd Street Moon's 1997 production of Fanny in the role of Cesario.[citation needed] The next year, Criss played Mauro in the same company's production of the Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim musical Do I Hear a Waltz?,[8] followed by Babes in Arms in 1999, in which he played Beauregard Calhoun.[9]

Criss went on to attend the University of Michigan, graduating in 2009 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance, Acting.[10][11]

Career

Criss started out as the host of That Media Show, a San Francisco production which discussed Hollywood, filmmaking and visual effects.[citation needed]

Acting

Criss is part of the theater company Team StarKid, formed by theater students at the University of Michigan. His most popular role with Team StarKid was as Harry Potter in the YouTube viral musicals A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel.[12][13][14][15][16] Both productions are musical-comedies based on the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.[17]

On November 9, 2010, Criss joined the cast of Glee in the episode "Never Been Kissed" as Blaine Anderson, a gay student at a rival school. He is now a recurring character in season 2.[18] Criss had auditioned before for the show; he had auditioned to play Finn when the show was initially created.[7] Glee creator Ryan Murphy stated, "Darren has a major, major arc... He sort of becomes Kurt's mentor and then maybe love - Kurt had to leave his own school because of bullying and goes to an all-boys academy and finds acceptance because that school has a zero-tolerance no-bullying policy. So Kurt really admires him and respects him. He plays someone who's one year older than Chris' character, so he's the old pro."[19]

His work outside of Team StarKid and Glee includes his stint as Josh in the television series Eastwick and a guest-starring role in Cold Case.[20]

Music

Criss is credited as one of the primary songwriters, along with A.J. Holmes, of the Team StarKid production A Very Potter Musical (2009).[12][13][14][15] Criss also wrote three songs for another StarKid production: Me and My Dick (2009),[7][21][22][23] and wrote all the music for A Very Potter Sequel (2010) and its companion album A Very StarKid Album,[13][15][16] the upcoming show Starship (2011),[15] and the web-series Little White Lie (2007).

Criss released a self-produced EP Human on iTunes in the summer of 2010.[24] It debuted at No. 30 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers Albums[7] and has reached the iTunes Top 20 Alternative charts.[13]

He also frequently collaborates and performs with fellow Michigan alum, New York-based singer/songwriter Charlene Kaye. He sings on her song "Skin and Bones"[25] and is featured in her music videos for "Skin and Bones"[26] and "Magnolia Wine."[27]

Criss also sings in Charlene's song "Dress and Tie," released February 23 2011. [28]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2005 I Adora You Josh Short film
2009 Walker Phillips Elliott
2011 The Chicago 8 Yippie Man Completed
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2009 Eastwick Josh Burton Episode 1.3: "Madams and Madames"
Episode 1.5: "Mooning and Crooning"
Episode 1.6: "Bonfire and Betrayal"
Episode 1.7: "Red Ants and Black Widows"
Episode 1.9: "Tasers and Mind Erasers"
2010 Cold Case Ruben Harris '69 Episode 7.20: "Free Love"
2010–present Glee Blaine Anderson Recurring Role: 9 episodes
2011 Archer Mikey and Tommy (Voices) Episode 2.9: "Placebo Effect"

Theater

Web Series

  • Little White Lie (2007) as Toby Phillips; also songwriter

Music Videos

  • "Skin & Bones" (2009) by Charlene Kaye
  • "Magnolia Wine" (2009) by Charlene Kaye
  • "Roll with Me" (2009) by Montgomery Gentry
  • "Dress and Tie" (2011) by Charlene Kaye

Discography

Team StarKid

Independent

  • Skin and Bones (Charlene Kaye) (2008)
  • Dress and Tie (Charlene Kaye) (2011)

Solo

List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
Top Heatseekers
[7]
Human[7][13][24] 30

Glee

Main article: Glee Cast discography

References

  1. ^ Feb 10, 2011 02:14AM (2011-02-10). "Darren Criss from 'Glee,' Starkid launch Chicago home with 'Starship' - Chicago Sun-Times". Suntimes.com. Retrieved 2011-03-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Is Darren Criss Kurt's New BF on Glee?". Advocate.com. September 27, 2010.
  3. ^ "Twitter / Darren Criss: @apresledeluge dude I'm ha". Twitter.com. 2010-07-01. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
  4. ^ "Irish Central".
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ "Darren Criss - Bio". Darrencriss.snappages.com. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Donahue, Ann (13 November 2010). "'Glee' Newcomer Darren Criss Reflects on His 'Dream' Week". Billboard. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  8. ^ "Do I Hear a Waltz?". 42ndstmoon.com. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
  9. ^ "Babes in Arms". 42ndstmoon.com. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
  10. ^ "U of M show program" (PDF).
  11. ^ McKee, Jenn (October 25, 2010). "Darren Criss, U-M grad and 'Very Potter Musical' star, will be a new face on "Glee"". AnnArbor.com.
  12. ^ a b c d Guerra, Jennifer (July 15, 2009). "A Very Potter Musical!". Michigan Radio. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i Milam, Whitney (July 24, 2010). Team StarKid tops Glee and Gaga on iTunes, talks new projects. HollywoodNews. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  14. ^ a b c d "Team StarKid's Home Page for ""A Very Potter Musical""".
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h Davenport, Misha (February 2011). "Darren Criss from 'Glee,' Starkid launch Chicago home with 'Starship'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  16. ^ a b c d "Team StarKid's Home Page for "A Very Potter Sequel"".
  17. ^ Official Team StarKid Channel YouTube user channel.
  18. ^ Derschowitz, Jessica (September 27, 2010). "Darren Criss Joins "Glee" Cast". CBSnews.com. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  19. ^ Bentley, Jean (September 30, 2010). "News Roundup: Ryan Murphy Confirms Chord Overstreet Will Not Play Kurt's Boyfriend..." AOL TV News. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
  20. ^ Darren Criss - IMDb
  21. ^ a b Austrone, Xavier. "StarKid Interview: Starship Coverage & A VERY POTTER THREEQUEL!?" Wizardinglife.com, November 22, 2010. Retrieved on November 23, 2010.
  22. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith. "'My Dick' Rises to Become First Charting Student Musical" Billboard.com, March 18, 2010. Retrieved on November 4, 2010.
  23. ^ a b c "Team StarKid's Home Page for "Me and My Dick"".
  24. ^ a b "Human by Darren Criss".
  25. ^ "Skin and Bones - Charlene Kaye feat. Darren Criss on iTunes".
  26. ^ "Charlene Kaye - Skin and Bones music video".
  27. ^ "Charlene Kaye - Magnolia Wine music video".
  28. ^ "Charlene Kaye - Dress and Tie (feat. Darren Criss) on iTunes".
  29. ^ "42nd Street Moon production of Do I Hear a Waltz?".
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