Darren Criss News

When HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH opened off-Broadway in 1998, I'd just entered high school. As a teenage theatre geek in Massachusetts, my only available resources were local theatres, and the few Broadway cast recordings sold at the local mall, so I remained oblivious. When the 2001 movie was later produced, I'd grown to identify as a member of the LGBT community, but queer independent films were far off my radar, despite the cult following that had quickly developed surrounding this particular film. Now, although I will miss the recent Broadway revival of HEDWIG (which will close on September 13), I've grown familiar with the material, thanks in part to YouTube, and many years of visiting the famous Musical Theatre Mondays at NYC's Splash bar (R.I.P.), which frequently showed clips of "Wig in a Box," "Wicked Little Town," and "The Origin of Love."

EW just unveiled a cute yet playfully contentious Skype date between Darren Criss and Aaron Tveit to promote their upcoming Elsie Fest in New York City. Click below to watch the pair argue over who people most want to see at the event with a 'Take Me or Leave Me' face-off!

The Tectonic Theater Project is proud to announce a star-studded one-night-only special benefit reading of Moises Kaufman's GROSS INDECENCY: THE THREE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE, the award-winning play about Oscar Wilde and the trials for his 'crime' of homosexuality, on October 5, 2015 at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater (524 W 59th St).

Dave Thomas Brown, recently of Heathers: The Musical at New World Stages, leads a cast that also includes Wayne Duvall (O Brother Where Art Thou?, Leatherheads), Matt McGrath (Cabaret, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Keith Nobbs (Lombardi, 'The Black Donnellys') and Afton C. Williamson ('Nashville,' 'Homeland'), in Matthew Lopez's THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE, the first production of MCC's 2015-16 Main Stage Season. THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE begins previews tonight, August 20, 2015 ahead of a September 9, 2015 opening night.

YELLOW SOUND LABEL has announced the new album from TELLY LEUNG, star of this season's new Broadway musical Allegiance opposite George Takei and Lea Salonga.

American history and bohemian culture combine over showtunes.

Elsie Fest, New York City's first outdoor music festival celebrating tunes from the stage and screen, is set to launch on Sunday, September 27 (2-9PM) at JBL Live at Pier 97 (57th St and WestSide Highway in New York City). Performers will include Aaron Tveit, Darren Criss, Lea Salonga, Laura Osnes, Seth Rudetsky, Leslie Odom, Jr., and StarKid.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: MERCURY FUR and DROP DEAD PERFECT start off-Broadway, OCTOBER SKY hits the Windy City stage, and the Industry Dance Awards recognize Broadway talent!

A fan favorite returns to AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL!

A new look inside AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL!

Darren Criss is going hipster for his recurring stay at AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL, according to a new report from E! News.

Lines are blurring. Gender-bending is seemingly everywhere these days, from high fashion ads to news coverage to I AM CAIT, Queen Latifah as The Wiz and beyond. Furthermore, one of the most provocative and popular stories of last week was the news of a Canadian regional production of A CHORUS LINE casting a male actor in the leading role of Cassie, renamed Casey. With the additional angle of Broadway currently being abuzz with the appearance of stage and screen star Taye Diggs stepping into the iconic high heels of the titular character in the recently multi-Tony Award-winning musical HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH - itself centered on a transsexual character - it seems as though now would be the ideal time to consider some other musical theatre mainstays and how they could be re-purposed and refreshed with a gender-bended twist. Although certain roles seems tailor-made to such treatment, it is illuminating to consider the rich possibilities that could potentially be afforded in the experience of witnessing the right performer of perhaps the perceivably wrong sex tackling a role normally associated with the opposite gender. Who knows, maybe a female Phantom or a make Elphaba are not that wildly spurious or far-fetched to consider given the compelling performances that have been given by unlikely actors in roles traditionally portrayed in a certain way. Theatre is nothing without reinvention and these are my top 10 picks for musicals I would like to see taken on with fresh eyes and a new outlook.

Got caught up watching Lin-Manuel singing NEWSIES at the 'Ham4Ham' Lottery? Celebrated National Vanilla Ice Cream Day with too many Schmakary's ice cream sandwiches? Didn't have time check in on all of the latest Broadway news? Well don't worry BroadwayWorld has rounded up some of the biggest stories from this week from Broadway and beyond with BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures.'

Taye Diggs just took over the title role in Broadway's HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, making his return to the Great White Way after a decade-long hiatus. Diggs stars in the acclaimed musical for a limited 12-week engagement. He takes over from Darren Criss, who just finished his run on July 19 at the Belasco Theatre. BroadwayWord brings you photos from his opening night bows below!

Happy Birthday Daniel Radcliffe! Radcliffe is best known for playing the title role in all eight of the blockbuster Harry Potter films. In 2008, he made his Broadway debut to much acclaim in EQUUS. Radcliffe won BroadwayWorld.com's 2009 Theatre Fans' Choice Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play for his role in EQUUS. He returned to Broadway in March 2011 with HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, and was succeeded by Darren Criss, and later Nick Jonas. He most recently led the Broadway production of THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN, which just concluded its limited run at the Cort Theatre.

Taye Diggs just took over the title role in Broadway's HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, making his return to the Great White Way after a decade-long hiatus. Diggs stars in the acclaimed musical for a limited 12-week engagement. He takes over from Darren Criss, who just finished his run on July 19 at the Belasco Theatre.

Taye Diggs takes over the title role in Broadway's HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH starting tonight, July 22, making his return to the Great White Way after a decade-long hiatus.

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are two of the most renowned producers working in the industry today. They are best known for their work on the past three Academy Awards ceremonies, The Sound of Music Live!, Peter Pan Live! and Smash. Their Broadway credits include Promises, Promises and How to Succeed in Buisness Without Really Trying. Film credits include Hairspray, Chicago, A Raisin in the Sun and Footloose. Upcoming projects include The Wiz Live!, the movie adaptation of Pippin and much more.