Criss, best known for his role as openly-gay student Blaine Anderson on the Golden Globe Award-winning series "Glee," will succeed Daniel Radcliffe, who will exit the production Jan. 1, 2012.
Criss will step into the role of ambitious window washer J. Pierrepont Finch Jan. 3-22, 2012. Tickets are now available. A representative for the production told Playbill.com that plans for the Broadway run beyond Criss' engagement have not been determined.
Criss' involvement in the project is serendipitous, he also wrote and starred in A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel, based on the "Harry Potter" series. His "Glee" cover of the Katy Perry hit "Teenage Dream" debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts, a first for the series. Criss has also been seen on the television series "Eastwick," "Cold Case" and "Archer."
"Daniel gives an extraordinary performance eight times a week and we knew finding someone to fill his shoes would be nearly impossible. When we learned of Darren’s dream of performing on Broadway we knew we had found our Finch but presumed his 'Glee' schedule would eliminate any chance to work with him,” said Tony Award-nominated How to Succeed director-choreographer Rob Ashford. "We are ecstatic and grateful to Ryan Murphy and his 'Glee' team at 20th Century Fox TV for helping to make both Darren’s and our dream come true."
How to Succeed… opened on Broadway March 27 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The musical has a score by Frank Loesser, with a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert. Radcliffe ("Harry Potter," Equus) currently stars as J. Pierrepont Finch alongside Larroquette ("Night Court") as World Wide Wicket Company president J.B. Biggley, Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tammy Blanchard (Gypsy, "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows") as office bombshell Hedy La Rue, Christopher J. Hanke (In My Life, Cry-Baby) as Bud Frump, Rose Hemingway (Parade at the Mark Taper Forum) in her Broadway debut as Rosemary Pilkington, Rob Bartlett (Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors) as Twimble/Wally Womper, Mary Faber (American Idiot, Avenue Q) as Smitty, Ellen Harvey (Thou Shalt Not, The Music Man) as Miss Jones and Michael Park (Middletown) as Bert Bratt.
The How to Succeed ensemble features Cameron Adams, Cleve Asbury, Tanya Birl, Kevin Covert, Paige Faure, David Hull, Justin Keyes, Marty Lawson, Shannon Lewis, Erica Mansfield, Barrett Martin, Nick Mayo, Sarah O'Gleby, Stephanie Rothenberg, Michaeljon Slinger, Joey Sorge, Matt Wall, Ryan Watkinson, Charlie Williams and Samantha Zack.
For tickets, priced $52-$132, phone (212) 239-6200 or visit Telecharge. The Al Hirschfeld Theatre is located at 302 West 45th Street.
