#broadway world

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Interview: Sean Persaud, Sinéad Persaud, Mary Kate Wiles, And Dylan Glatthorn on EDGAR ALLAN POE’S MURDER MYSTERY DINNER PARTY THE MUSICAL

Recently, we had the chance to speak with Sean Persaud (Edgar Allan Poe, Book/Additional Lyrics), Sinéad Persaud (Lenore, Book/Additional Ly

Thanks for the interview, Broadway World! 🐦‍⬛

[d-criss-news]

Review: AN EVENING WITH DARREN CRISS at Emerson Colonial Theatre

What did our critic think of AN EVENING WITH DARREN CRISS at Emerson Colonial Theatre?

Review: AN EVENING WITH DARREN CRISS at Emerson Colonial Theatre

Just days after departing his Tony-winning role in “Maybe Happy Ending” on Broadway, Darren Criss was onstage at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre for the first in a series of concerts that will take him from southern California to New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Tennessee between now and the end of September.

Opening with “It’s Not Unusual,” Criss put his own vocals, and a few of his own gyrations, into what has been Tom Jones’s signature song since it was first released 61 years ago. After reminding his Boston audience, “I was on Broadway just seconds ago,” Criss shifted gears, taking to the piano to perform the plaintive “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane, which he sang in season two of “Glee,” and which in Boston floated to the highest rafters thanks to the Colonial’s exquisite acoustics.

Also for the many “Gleeks” – fans of the Fox-TV series – in the house, Criss, who played Blaine Anderson, lead singer of the Dalton Academy Warblers on the series, offered up a pitch-perfect rendition of Young Giants’ “Cough Syrup,” a season-three number Blaine sang to his emotionally vulnerable friend Kurt (Chris Colfer).

The blending of classic and contemporary pop with tunes from both the American and Broadway songbooks proved to be the order of the day for the popular performer, and his tight backing band – Devon Yesberger on keyboards, Chris Morrissey on bass, Tomek Miernowski on guitar, and pianist Thomas Pandolfi – was with him on every twist and turn.

And since the Emerson Colonial is a legendary Broadway tryout house, it was only appropriate that Criss’s 100-minute set featured respectful asides about the theatre’s rich history as well as showtunes from a warm-toned “Almost Like Being in Love,” from Lerner and Loewe’s “Brigadoon, to a wonderfully well delivered “Where or When” from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical “Babes in Arms,” which became a standard for Frank Sinatra, who recorded it three times, in 1945, 1958, and 1966.

Criss also made a lot of Olivia Newton-John fans happy with his spot-on cover of “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” written by John Farrar for the 1978 film version of “Grease,” which Newton-John made a pop hit that same year and which was included in the show’s 2007 Broadway revival. Newton-John’s homeland was again in the air when Criss matched his richly expressive voice to what he called both a “naughty song” and “an ode to modern love,” Pink’s “Walk of Shame” from her 2012 album “The Truth About Love,” released exclusively Down Under.

The Tony- and Emmy-winning actor and singer – famed not only for “Glee” but also for FX’s “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” and “Hollywood,” as well as Broadway shows including  the 2011 revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” 2014’s “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” and the 2022 revival of “American Buffalo” – didn’t forget his most recent Broadway triumph either.

Indeed, Criss served up two songs from the still-running 2025 Tony winner for Best New Musical, “Maybe Happy Ending,” the South Korean show about two humanlike helper-bots with music by Will Aronson and lyrics by Hue Park which he co-produced and starred in on Broadway. After a lovely take on “How to Be Not Alone,” sung in the musical by Helen J. Shen, Criss delivered a moving “Where You Belong,” which he performed in the show.

The San Francisco native’s good humor was sprinkled throughout “An Evening with Darren Criss,” with his expletives-undeleted patter delighting his attentive audience. He also elicited laughter and stirred up good memories when he reprised his role as Harry Potter in the parody “A Very Potter Musical,” for which he co-wrote the music and lyrics with his University of Michigan classmate A.J. Holmes. Produced by Starkid Productions, a company founded by Criss and his college classmates, the musical was first performed at UM in 2009. Its YouTube release marked a career breakthrough for the college alum.

Criss – who has brought his “A Very Darren Crissmas” tour to Boston’s Wilbur Theatre and the Emerson Colonial in the past few years – closed out his latest visit with a memorable performance of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dreams,” the first song he ever did on “Glee” and, based on the loud applause it received, an audience favorite.

[d-criss-news]

Exclusive: Watch Darren Criss Rock Out to ANNIE at MISCAST26 | BroadwayWorld

Miscast26 will stream for free worldwide, with a Broadcast Premiere on Tuesday, May 12.

[d-criss-news]

Cast of Miscast 26 (Photo by Andy Henderson, Avery Brunkus, Bartlett Lentini) | Broadway World

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Photos: Darren Criss, Anaïs Mitchell, and More at the Atlantic Theater Company's 40th Anniversary Gala

Stars of stage and screen lit up The Plaza to help the historic Atlantic Theater Company celebrate 40 years of empowering new voices in the

Photos: Darren Criss, Anaïs Mitchell, and More at the Atlantic Theater Company's 40th Anniversary Gala

---------- Tony and Olivier Award winner Jez Butterworth got attendees ready to rock for an electric performance of “Play that Funky Music” by Tony Award winner Darren Criss, joined onstage by none other than ATC’s Neil Pepe on guitar (and harmonica!), who previously directed Criss in the Tony-nominated revival of American Buffalo.

Darren Criss, Neil Pepe and bassist George Farmer at the Atlantic Theater Company's 40th Anniversary Gala (Photo by Steven Speliotis)

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Uzo Aduba and Darren Criss Will Announce the Tony Award Nominations

Tony Award nominee Uzo Aduba and Tony Award-winning actor Darren Criss will announce the nominations for the 79th Annual Tony Awards. Learn

Uzo Aduba and Darren Criss Will Announce the Tony Award Nominations

Tony Award nominee Uzo Aduba and Tony Award-winning actor Darren Criss will announce the nominations for the 79th Annual Tony Awards on Tuesday, May 5.       

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BROADWAYWORLD | ITZY’s YUNA on her Solo Debut ‘Ice Cream’ and Stepping Out on Her Own

"I was very nervous, and my heart was beating really fast when I first heard the song because I immediately felt like it was mine. I also kept thinking about how I would share it with our fans and how much they would like it."

"There was a time when I was very busy and had a lot of schedules, and I was not really taking care of myself. To get through that period, I took some time for myself and focused on the present moment, which helped me recover. I feel like that experience connects closely to the message of Ice Cream and enjoying the present."

"It felt very different. When we prepare for a group comeback, there are five of us sharing the process, but this time it was just me. It felt like I had to do five times the work, and I also felt five times the pressure and responsibility. I’m very grateful to all the staff, composers, choreographers, and everyone who was involved, because I’m really satisfied with how everything turned out."

"When I first received the demo for "Ice Cream", Yeji was the first member I listened to it with. During the recording process, she asked a lot of thoughtful questions and gave helpful feedback, so she was a really great support for me. She also came to the trailer shoot for the music video, which meant a lot. Not just Yeji, but all the ITZY members supported me throughout this process. They shared ideas and gave feedback, even on things like choreography, so I felt very encouraged while preparing for my solo debut."

"The main goal of this solo album is to deliver positive energy to people who watch my performances. For this era, I focused on showing strong facial expressions and sharing bright, genuine smiles on stage."

"B-Boy" has a strong street and hip-hop mood, so I tried to bring out a more free and relaxed side of myself while recording. I even imagined myself as a B-girl so I could express the lyrics more naturally."

"As soon as I heard "Blue Maze", it became my favourite B-side on the album. I really wanted to express the dreamy, almost illusion-like mood of the song, so I prepared a lot for the recording. It feels especially meaningful to me, and I imagined that I was in a dream while recording it."

"Hyper Dream" has a strong disco sound, and the retro mood is the most impactful part of the song. When I listen to it, I imagine vivid colours and bold sets. It actually reminds me of a drama I worked on recently, which also had a similar retro feeling."

"I don’t think I discovered something completely new about my voice, but I learned what it feels like to carry a full song on my own. There were some challenges since it was just me singing throughout, so I spent a lot of time making sure it didn’t feel empty to the listener."

"I think my voice has a very clear and distinct colour. Some people might find it nice, while others might feel it is a bit strong, so I tried to find a good balance. I see my voice as unique, with both strengths and limits, and I wanted to explore that through this album in a way that feels comfortable to listen to. My goal was to keep everything positive and share that feeling with the audience."

BW: Which track best represents you at this moment?

"Definitely "Ice Cream," because the melody, lyrics, and message all feel like 100% me. I think it represents who I am right now the best."

Message to her younger self

"I would say, ‘You’re doing great.'"

"I hope people can see how I’ve grown from the youngest member of ITZY into an artist with my own unique musical colour. I also hope it’s an album that stays with listeners for a long time, and that it brings more love and interest to both me and ITZY."

[d-criss-news]

Photos: Darren Criss, Jeremy Jordan, Norm Lewis And More Perform At 54 Below’s First Annual Gala

54 Below held its First Annual Gala featuring performances from Darren Criss, Ariana DeBose, Jeremy Jordan, and Norm Lewis. The sold-out eve

Photos: Darren Criss, Jeremy Jordan, Norm Lewis And More Perform At 54 Below’s First Annual Gala

54 Below, Broadway’s Supper Club and 2022 Tony Awards Honoree for Excellence in the Theatre, celebrated its First Annual 54 Below Gala on March 23. The sold-out event was also live-streamed. The evening featured performances from Darren Criss, Ariana DeBose, Joe Iconis, Jeremy Jordan, Norm Lewis, Marilyn Maye, Marc Shaiman, Krysta Rodriguez, and Ashley Loren, with music direction by Benjamin Rauhala.

Darren Criss and Jeremy Jordan pose at the 2026 First Annual 54 Below Gala at 54 Below on March 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo Credit: Michael Allan Galvez)