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Saw Seth Rudetsky interview Darren Criss last night

Posted by:	Richard Connema 06:32 pm EDT 10/31/15

I went over to Nouse Theatre last night to catch Seth interview Darren Criss. Seth's interview was excellent and Darren was completely laid back during the 90 minutes. Darrin interjected the interview by singing songs from Broadway show like "Music Man" "Fiddler on the Roof" and "How to Succeed" He also sang a song from one his first professional performances "Fanny" when he was 10 years old. I reviewed him then and thought this guy is going places. Most of the interview was about him growing up here in San Francisco, his time at University of Michigan and his time in Los Angeles trying out for his first professional jobs. There were of course stories about "Glee" and "How to Succeed". It was good to see Seth Rudetsky again. I remember when Eddy and I traveled to New York at least twice a year and we always made time for Seth's interview at Don't Tell Mama" on Thursday afternoon before a show. I also remember we trek up to an off Broadway theatre to see Seth's one person show donkey years ago. Good memories.

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Darren Criss 'Glee'-fully recalls his life in musical theater

Posted by:	WaymanWong 09:52 pm EDT 10/31/15
In reply to:	Saw Seth Rudetsky interview Darren Criss last night - Richard Connema 06:32 pm EDT 10/31/15

Darren Criss is best known for playing Blaine on ''Glee,'' singing Katy Perry's ''Teenage Dream,'' but in his San Francisco concert Friday night at the Nourse, he proved he's really a ''Broadway Baby'' at heart. The show was a benefit for Project Open Hand, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. He and his hilarious musical director, Seth Rudetsky, made a dynamite duo as they bantered about Criss' career. Interspersed were solos from his high-school shows (''The Music Man'') to ''Hedwig,'' and ''Where or When,'' his audition song for ''Glee.'' His beautiful voice sounded especially tender and touching, crooning ''Where Is Love?'' (''Oliver!'') and ''Welcome Home,'' a Harold Rome gem from ''Fanny.'' (The latter sounded so reminiscent of the kiddie classic ''Goodnight Moon.'') Criss also took pride in his ethnic heritage. His dad's English, German and Irish; his mom's Filipino. ''Yeah, my mom's Asian; it's awesome for college applications,'' quipped Criss, who grew up in San Francisco and also lived in Hawaii. ''We rode that surfboard as long as we could. ... I look so white, but one of my favorite things about myself is my Filipino background. It's cool.'' To close his concert, Criss wowed his hometown crowd by accompanying himself at the keyboard with ''I Left My Heart in San Francisco,'. And his exquisite and genuine rendition was worthy of a Tony (Bennett, that is). ;) Criss' songlist: * ''Broadway Baby'' (''Follies'') * ''Where Is Love?'' (''Oliver!'') * ''Ya Got Trouble'' (''The Music Man'') * ''If I Were a Rich Man'' (''Fiddler on the Roof'') * ''A New Town Is a Blue Town'' (''The Pajama Game'') * ''Sincere'' (''The Music Man''), which Criss did with a couple of ex-high school classmates and Rudetsky. * ''Welcome Home'' (''Fanny'') * ''Wicked Little Town'' (''Hedwig'') * ''Where or When'' (''Babes in Arms'') * ''I Left My Heart in San Francisco''

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