Emmy, Golden Globe, and Tony winner Darren Criss performs at Mercyhurst University

Darren Criss

The Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center will pulse with Broadway flair and pop-rock energy when Emmy, Golden Globe, and Tony Award winner Darren Criss takes the stage on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m., as part of the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts & Culture’s MIAC Live season.

Since bursting onto the pop-culture landscape over a decade ago in Fox’s hit TV show “Glee,” Criss has embodied a kaleidoscopic artistry that defies categorization. For this concert, he will perform well-known songs from across his wildly eclectic career as both a songwriter and performer, including fan favorites from “Glee,” “Starkid,” and the Broadway productions he has starred in.

Criss is currently starring in the critically acclaimed Broadway hit “Maybe Happy Ending,” directed by Michael Arden. Now playing at the Belasco Theatre, the show opened to unanimous rave reviews, including designation as a New York Times Critics’ Pick.

Before Criss exploded into internet fame as both an actor and songwriter for the viral YouTube sensation “A Very Potter Musical” (2009), he was already making a name for himself performing inventive interpretations of popular songs in the cafés and bars of his hometown, San Francisco. That same musical ingenuity would serve him well the following year, when he joined Fox’s smash-hit musical series “Glee.” Many of his performances on the show led to Billboard-topping singles, and in 2015, his songwriting earned him an Emmy nomination for Best Original Music and Lyrics for “This Time,” written for the series finale.

Over the years, Criss has continued to write and produce music prolifically—for his own albums as well as for stage, film, and television. In 2019, he created, executive produced, starred in, and composed all original songs for the short-form musical comedy series “Royalties.” He also provided the music and lyrics for the opening number of the 2022 “Tony Awards: Act One.” His 2021 releases include “Masquerade” (BMG), a genre-spanning EP of “character-driven” singles, and “A Very Darren Crissmas” (Decca), a full-length holiday album that quickly became a seasonal favorite.

As an actor, Criss is a seasoned stage veteran whose Broadway credits include the titular role in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (2015), “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” (2012), and the 2022 revival of David Mamet’s “American Buffalo” alongside Laurence Fishburne and Sam Rockwell. His portrayal of Andrew Cunanan in Ryan Murphy’s “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” (2018) earned him a Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Critics’ Choice Award. He was most recently seen starring in Netflix’s “Hollywood,” for which he also served as executive producer.

Tickets, priced at $40–$65, are available online at miac.universitytickets.com, by phone at 814-824-3000, or in person at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center box office (Tues.–Thurs., noon–5 p.m.). Each order is subject to a $5 per-ticket processing fee, regardless of purchase or payment method.

This performance is presented with generous support from Gary’s Flower Shoppe. The 2025–26 MIAC Live season is sponsored by Alan & Patti Schaal and VNET, with additional support from the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority and the Greater Erie Alliance for Equality.