This is a fan forum to discuss Darren Criss\'s career and his public activities, including his theater, film, and TV projects, his music and musical performances, charitable work, interaction with fans, and interviews.
I am concerned about the weather for today and tomorrow. Mayor Bill de Blasio has not cancelled parades for Monday, but he warned that coastal areas may have flooding. I'm sure Darren and the organizers are keeping a close eye on updates by weather sites and government officials, and that Darren will communicate via his own, as well as the Elsie Fest, twitter and Facebook accounts.
Today Tix is having great deals, including $29 tickets.
#Repost darrencriss The weather is looking better for tomorrow and we’ve got even more $29 Elsie tickets up for grabs on @todaytix Only one more day until #ElsieFest (TodayTix link in bio) http://ift.tt/2bLNyh3
NBC New York wrote: Megan Hilty, Tituss Burgess, Darren Criss Lead Second Annual Elsie Fest
Broadway’s biggest and brightest will join together Monday at the Ford Amphitheater at the Coney Island Boardwalk for the second annual "Elsie Fest," a one-day outdoor music festival celebrating showtunes from stage and screen.
NBC's "Smash" star Megan Hilty will headline the event, joined by "The UnBreakable Kimmy Schmidt" star Tituss Burgess and Golden Globe-nominated actress Evan Rachel Wood with musician Zach Villa, performing as their band Rebel and a Basket Case.
Tony winner Lena Hall and Criss, both heading out on tour in "Hedwig and the Angry," will perform as well, with SiriusXM Radio host Julie James and "Newsies" star Corey Cott.
YouTube superstar Todrick Hall will take the stage. The 31-year-old stage vet will return to Broadway this December as Lola in "Kinky Boots."
Tony-winning composers Jason Robert Brown ("The Bridges of Madison County") and the Tony-nominated team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul ("Dear Evan Hansen") are on the roster as well.
Cynthia Erivo, a 2016 Tony winner for her role in "The Color Purple," will perform as a special guest.
The day kicks off at 1 p.m. and goes throughout the evening. In addition to the live sets, attendees will be offered exclusive meet and greet packages with their favorite stars, concert merchandise and a beer garden from the famed West Village piano bar Marie's Crisis.
The festival, which premiered last year at the JBL Live at Pier 97, is the brainchild of "Glee" alum Darren Criss, Broadway producer Jordan Roth and talent manager Ricky Rollins.
Criss had said he came out with the idea of the festival while at Coachella, thinking "let's do this for showtunes."
"Musical theater has been going through a wonderful shift in the past few years. Why not shake up people’s ideas of where to watch the performers they love?" the 29-year-old actor said.
A portion of the proceeeds will go to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
For tickets and further information, visit ElsieFest.com.
-NBC New York September 3, 2016
Via Darren Criss Army
Tickets to Elsie Fest available through Today Tix. From @DarrenArmy
An interview which shows just how active Darren likes to keep himself. We also learn that he was vegan at one point while he was performing Hedwig on Broadway, to stay slim. And he likes to do karaoke in Korea-town. No surprise. What a treat for the other lucky participants who get to listen to him! Here is an excerpt. Click on title (below), or link below the excerpt to read the entire article.
New York Post wrote:Darren Criss' perfect night out -- a Koreatown karaoke bar
Darren Criss became a heartthrob when he starred on Fox’s “Glee,” but since then the actor has built a thriving music and Broadway career, appearing onstage in “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” The 29-year-old divides his time between downtown New York and LA, and is about to embark on a multicity tour of “Hedwig.” On Monday, he’ll perform at Elsie Fest, a music festival at the Coney Island Amphitheater. The actor tells The Post’s JOHNNY OLEKSINSKI how he likes to spend his free time in NYC.
Darren is live with Paul Wontorek on Live at 5 right now on Broadway.com’s facebook. September 1, 2016
Darren appears around point 6:50.
Broadway.com #LiveeatFive with Darren Criss September 1, 2016
Interview with Ralphie Aversa (95.5 PLJ)
Darren Criss On Elsie Fest, Hedwig And Funemployment September 01, 2016
An article in Huffingtonpost.com. Something about the article prevented me from copying and pasting it. He did talk about how the new venue on Cooney Island and scheduling Elsie Fest to fall on the Labor Day weekend (when some folks go out of town) pose a few risks. It is nice that it falls on Monday, which is a day when Broadway performers have off.
I liked this quote from the Huffingtonpost article:
Huffingtonpost.com wrote:Darren Criss and Evan Rachel Wood Talk Elsie Fest; Broadway At The Beach
Criss told me last year that his goal with Elsie Fest is to take "the passion of fans and bring them and others together in a contemporary, pop-culture driven way" during a time of "transformation" for musical theater.
By reinforcing this commitment, Criss continues to prove himself beyond his own talent as a performer and the TV heartthrob singing sensation turned Broadway star. He's convened a team joining the vanguards who are revolutionizing entertainment, creating a modern experience that combines pop culture with the tradition of theater.
September 1, 2016
This is cute.
People.com wrote:What These Stranger Things Kids Lack in '80s Know-How, They Make Up for with Enthusiasm
Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo may play two characters living in the ‘80s on Stranger Things, but that doesn’t mean they’re well-versed in what was trending that era.
PEOPLE has an exclusive video of the two young stars testing their ‘80s knowledge (or lack thereof) with former Glee star Darren Criss, 29, and as expected, they don’t … know much.
August 31, 2016
Photos from the iHeart Radio interview.
iHeart Radio photos uncropped September 01, 2016 dailydarrennews
Photos from the Pop-Up Piano Bar.
Ever wanted to hang out with Darren Criss? We gave our users and Darren’s fans a chance to win access to A Pop-up Piano Bar this week before Elsie Fest. What ensued was good food, good music, and good people.
Have FOMO? We’ve got you covered. Check out pictures from the event below and make sure to get tickets to hang out with Darren again at Elsie Fest this Labor Day! September 01 2016 Dailydarrennews
@kevinlynchnj: Fun playing with @DarrenCriss today for @ElsieFest16 ! @mariescrisis realness at @todaytix #elsiefest August 31 2016 dailydarrennews
Some pics with fans.
alexismonetti no but really I'm shaking, @darrencriss came next to me and we sang Suddenly, Seymour together.[size=10][size=16] [/size] #DarrenCrissPopUp#happytears[/size]
ktroxx @darrencriss is always SO FUN and just the best to work with. Everyone check out @elsiefest at Coney Island this labor day, you won’t want to miss it!!! #productionlife#elsiefest#coneyisland#broadway
haha!
Paul Costabile Coming soon the new street side musical “Aww Shucks” @darrencriss @iHeartRadio
darrencriss: Before they were Lucas & Dustin lookin for Will on @strangerthingstv … @calebrmclaughl1 & @GatenM123 were Simba & Gavroche lookin for their spotlight on the Broadway Stage! So happy to have them joining #ElsieFest as special guests with backing band THE UPSIDE DOWN
Ah, theater kids, and Broadway stars. Check out Gaten Matarazzo singing "Bring Him Home" (Le Miz). Such a beautiful voice.
BroadwayWorld.com is having a contest to win two VIP tickets to Elsie Fest!
BroadwayWorld.com wrote:BWW Contest: Win Two VIP Tickets to Elsie Fest!
BroadwayWorld is giving one of our lucky readers a chance to win two VIP tickets to Elsie Fest on Monday, September 15th, 2016 in New York City! Enter the contest today!
The contest prize includes two tickets to the event with access to the VIP lounge!
Entering is super easy! Just follow the steps on the form below! There are five easy ways to enter the contest! Just like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and share the contest with your friends to maximize your chances at winning!
The contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on September 2nd, 2016.
The second annual Elsie Fest include full sets from Tony Award nominated actress and Singer Megan Hilty; actor, singer and Emmy nominated star of Netflix Original series The UnBreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Tituss Burgess; Emmy nominated musician and actor Darren Criss; musician and actress Evan Rachel Wood and musician Zach Villa perform as Rebel and a Basket Case; musical theater composer, lyricist, playwright, and two time Tony award winner Jason Robert Brown; Hedwig and the Angry Inch's Tony award winning Lena Hall; Broadway sensation starring in the upcoming The Bandstand, Corey Cott; Tony nominated songwriting duo behind Broadway's upcoming musical Dear Evan Hansen, PASEK AND PAUL; Broadway personality and SiriusXM Radio "On Broadway" host, Julie James; and, a special guest performance by 2016 Tony Award Winner of The Color Purple, Cynthia Erivo.
This year, Elsie Fest moves to the famous Coney Island. Performances at the Ford Amphitheater at the Coney Island Boardwalk begin at 1pm and last all day. In addition, concertgoers will be offered exclusive meet and greet packages with their favorite stars, festival merchandise and a Beer Garden from the famed West Village piano bar MARIE'S CRISIS. *We may send you updates about this contest and future contests and promotions via email. Winner must provide own transportation to the event.
Elsie Fest Excited to announce guest performances by @calebrmclaughl1 & @GatenM123 #ElsieFest#BroadwayStuds @Stranger_Things
I haven't watched the show. They look adorable.
And Liz Callaway is also added to Elsie Fest. She has done a lot of work on Broadway, and was also the voice of Kiara in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and the King of Thieves, and Anya/Anastasia in Anastasia.
An article about Elsie Fest 2016 in AXS.
AXS.com wrote:Labor Day entertainment: Darren Criss and Elsie Fest make Coney Island encore
New York’s outdoor music festival for show tunes, Elsie Fest, returns for its second year in a row on Labor Day, Monday Sept. 5, at historic Coney Island. The all-day entertainment extravaganza debuted last year along the Hudson River at Pier 97. This year, Elsie Fest attendees can spend the day soaking up the sun and the sand along the Boardwalk at Coney Island and catch the show which starts at 1 p.m. and runs until 10 p.m. in the Ford Amphitheatre. Festival tickets, including VIP tickets, premiere seating options and Meet and Greet packages are currently on sale.
Elsie Fest is the brainchild of Broadway and TV star Darren Criss (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Glee”), Jordan Roth, and Ricky Rollins who wanted to create an outlet for Broadway enthusiasts to gather and see some of their favorite artists from the stage and screen perform live in an all-day outdoor setting. Last year’s critically-acclaimed festival was a huge success. This year, Criss will be joined by Tituss Burgess (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), Megan Hilty (“Wicked,” “Smash”), Tony Award winners Lena Hall (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”) and Jason Robert Brown (“The Bridges of Madison County”), Corey Cott (“Newsies”), indie band Rebel and a Basketcase (featuring Evan Rachel Wood).
Darren Criss is a proud University of Michigan theater grad and Tony-nominated fellow U of M alums Pasek and Paul (“A Christmas Story, the Musical”) will also perform, along with Julie James and Tony Award-winning special guest Cynthia Erivo (“The Color Purple”). Elsie Fest has also been known to turn out surprise guests. So, who knows who else might pop in to sing a song or two?
Broadway.com praised Darren Criss and last year’s festival calling the “Harry Potter” YouTube spoof star “clearly the next generation of stage star” and deemed Elsie Fest 2015 “easily the coolest Broadway event of the year.” That’s a pretty impressive assessment for a first-time launch.
The remarkable thing about Elsie Fest is that it takes a Broadway-style entertainment experience to a whole new level. It presents an outdoor concert festival vibe (which Criss previously dubbed Coachella for show tunes) in a kickin’ atmosphere with singalongs at Marie’s Beer Garden in between sets and of course, there will be food and drink galore.
Darren Criss alone is a dynamic, larger-than-life live performer who oozes passion for theater, show tunes and music in general. He is the only “Glee” cast member to have contributed original songs written specifically for the series one of which, “This Time,” earned him his first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. Put him together with the other huge names on this year’s Elsie Fest performer lineup and lucky attendees are in for an explosive, multi-faceted musical treat.
Elsie Fest 2016 is sponsored by iHeart Radio, LiveNation, Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, and Jujamcyn Theaters. Ticket prices range from $30 - $60 each (before fees) for Gallery Seating, $30-$85 each (before fees) for Promenade Seating and $85-$125 each (before fees) for Orchestra Seating. VIP, Premium Seating and Meet and Greet Packages are also available at varying prices. Consult the Elsie Fest website for more information.
August 28 2016
A nice quote from the article:
AXS.com wrote:
Darren Criss alone is a dynamic, larger-than-life live performer who oozes passion for theater, show tunes and music in general. He is the only “Glee” cast member to have contributed original songs written specifically for the series one of which, “This Time,” earned him his first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. Put him together with the other huge names on this year’s Elsie Fest performer lineup and lucky attendees are in for an explosive, multi-faceted musical treat.
- Labor Day entertainment: Darren Criss and Elsie Fest make Coney Island encore
Darrencriss: More special guests announced tomorrow… #ElsieFest
How exciting!
Ok, any guesses, anyone? The red letters (in caps no less) with the creepy, swampy, dark background. . . let's see, who is in such a show? What show? What actor in such a show sings? Sleepy Hollow? A CW show?
Oooohhhhh. Darren is gonna make an announcement of of more guests. If I had to guess, I would guess maybe someone from Glee. Jenna is in NYC for Waitress. Or maybe Betsy Wolfe or Rebecca Naomi Jones. Jeremy Jordan owes him 6 favors, although I don't know when Supergirl will start filming. darrencriss:#ElsieFest. Labor Day. Coney Island. Link in Bio. Also, adding some people to the lineup and announcing next week. Any guesses? dailydarrennews
Darren's instagram (with link to a video): darrencriss: and i’m telling YOU @cynthiaerivo, I’m not goin ANYWHERE… long as I can watch gold like this on the internet, I’m gonna be stayin RIGHT HURR #Repost @elsiefest ・・・ And last but certainly not least as we have the insanely talented @cynthiaerivo coming to #ElsieFest!!! 9/5/16 | Ford Amphitheatre at Coney Island Boardwalk. Get tickets
Elsie Fest. Starring Lea Salonga, Aaron Tveit, Laura Osnes, Leslie Odom, Jr., Seth Rudetsky, StarKid, and special guests A Great Big World and Tyler Glenn of Neon Trees. [b]At the JBL Live Concert venue at Pier 97, NYC. September 27, 2015, 2-9 pm.
DCN [/b]Extended Highlights from First Annual Elsie Fest, Feat. Darren Criss, Lea Salonga, Aaron Tveit & More! [b][BroadwayWorld.com]
[/b]
[b] DCN rockerrick Produce showtune music fest. Check. @elsiefest#elsiefest
The Hollywood Reporter
DCN [/b][HQ] Darren Criss performs during Elsie Fest at Pier 97 on September 27, 2015 in New York City.
DCN [HQ] Ricky Rollins & Darren Criss onstage during the 2015 ElsieFest on September 27, 2015 in NY.
Playbill
DCN xkurtcoblaine: Darren Criss performs during Elsie Fest (Sept 27, 2015 NYC)
Broadway Style Guide portrait:
DCN tirpse: Elsie Fest Portraits
DCN [UHQ] Darren Criss performing at Elsie Fest | Source
DCN [UHQ] Darren Criss performing at Elsie Fest | Source
DCN hedwig-darren: Source
DCN Source
DCN hedwig-darren: Go Backstage at Elsie Fest, Featuring Aaron Tveit, Darren Criss, Laura Osnes & More