Darren Criss, an acclaimed actor with multiple awards including an Emmy, a Golden Globe, Critics Choice, and Screen Actors Guild to his name, is set to make a grand comeback to Australia this year for a series of concerts. Australian theatre producer Michael Cassel Group has confirmed that they will bringing Criss’ tour Down Under to audiences in Adelaide, Melbourne, Tasmania, Canberra, and Sydney in September. While as a Queenslander I am a tad disappointed that Brisbane missed out on a stop, those fortunate enough to see Criss perform can look forward to popular hits from his extensive career, accompanied by a four-piece band.
Confirmed venues include:
Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre – 3 September 2023
Canberra Theatre Centre – 4 September 2023
Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne – 5 September 2023
Theatre Royal Hobart – 7 September 2023
City Recital Hall, Sydney – 11 September 2023
For those in the 2000s Harry Potter and/or Pop Culture communities will know Criss from him being a founding member of Tear StarKid in 2009, where they rose to prominence with their trilogy of A Very Potter Musical, A Very Potter Sequel and A Very Potter Senior Year – in which Criss played the role of Harry Potter. His main rose to prominence came through his role as Blaine Anderson on the popular television show Glee.
On the musical theatre stage, he replaced Daniel Radcliffe in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Additionally in 2015 he took over the title role in Hedwig and The Angry Inch. Furthermore, in 2022, Criss graced the Broadway stage again in David Mamet’s Tony Award-nominated play American Buffalo, starring alongside Laurence Fishburne and Sam Rockwell.
Speaking about his return to Australia, Criss expressed his enthusiasm, recalling his 2018 performance in the country fondly:
My first show in Australia in 2018 was so much fun and I am looking forward to coming back with my friends and seeing more of the country. We are taking things up a notch for this tour and I can’t wait to see everyone!
Michael Cassel, the producer of his national tour and the one who brought him to Australia in 2018, also expressed his excitement about the return of the renowned showman:
Darren is a consummate showman and his last concert here sold out in eight minutes resulting in many angry phone calls from his fans to the office. Well, good things come to those who wait and now we are bringing him back for a series of shows all over the country, so no one will have to miss out.
Tickets to all five performances are set to go on-sale starting 27 July 2023.
