Singer Darren Criss takes his voice from Glee to Broadway and beyond
Vocalist in Toronto to perform recent Broadway hits with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
For the many "gleeks" who fanatically followed the hit TV show Glee, Darren Criss is a superstar adored for playing Blaine Anderson, the lead vocalist of the Dalton Academy Warblers, who later married his boyfriend Kurt Hummel, on the show.
His cover of Katy Perry's song Teenage Dream became the fastest selling Glee single, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
But for San Francisco-born Criss himself — who has gone on to star in hit Broadway musicals Hedwig and the Angry Inch and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying — he's an unlikely success story.
"I'm somebody I would never have thought would be in this world of musical theatre performance," he told CBC News, while in town to perform recent Broadway tunes with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra Tuesday and two shows Wednesday.
Little love for the limelight
"I never really considered myself a singer. I was always an actor who played in bands and played instruments. So I could hold a tune but never thought I'd be singing Broadway songs, primarily because I don't have this big booming Broadway voice."
"I've got this rock-folk kind of voice," he explained. "It's built for a guitar and piano. I feel very uncomfortable if I don't have an instrument to play when I sing. I don't know where to put my hands, I don't know how to express myself. So that's my voice. It's different and it's always playing catchup with the real Broadway stars."
He also confessed that despite the fame on screen and stage, he doesn't need to live in the limelight and could be quite happy living his life offstage, penning songs for others to sing.
"I was never that kid who needed the spotlight," he said.
"I really enjoy writing music for other people and taking part in their moments to shine. If I get to see a song that I wrote sung on Broadway that would be the dream."
Fans await solo album
Criss credits his time on Glee with providing him with an unparalleled education in the entertainment industry. But, ultimately, he says, "it made me realize how much I enjoy doing live theatre more than film or television."
As for his fans — he has nearly two million followers on Twitter — who have been waiting patiently and sometimes not so patiently for Criss to release his long awaited debut solo album, he admits the delays have become a bit of a running joke.
But, he hopes, it will happen, eventually.
"At this point it's more for the fans who have been very supportive more than it is for me, although if I don't do this soon I'll probably go insane."
