When it was first announced that the villain of the upcoming musical crossover between ‘The Flash’ and ‘Supergirl’ would be the Music Meister, it was hard to think of anyone that could top Neil Patrick Harris’ portrayal of the character on ‘Batman: The Brave and the Bold’. In fact, many just hoped that the incomparable NPH would be available to reprise the role. But just like the Broadway production of ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ did in 2015, it would seem that the Arrowverse architects have tapped a talented ‘Glee’ alum to do the job.
According to TV Line, Darren Criss has signed on to play the live-action version of the maniacal musical menace opposite his fellow ‘Glee’ cohorts Grant Gustin and Melissa Benoist in the two-part event ‘Duet’ that takes place on March 20th and 21st. He’ll be joining a stacked ensemble of singers that already includes the likes of Jesse L. Martin, Jeremy Jordan, Victor Garber, and John Barrowman. On the casting, executive producer Andrew Kreisberg expressed his excitement to bring on another shining star from Ryan Murphy’s seminal singing series:
“With our Flash and our Supergirl being ‘Glee’ alums, how could we not have them go up against another ‘Glee’ favorite like Darren Criss? We have been blown away by his talent over the years and we can’t wait to see what he brings to the Music Meister.”
Not only does this role mark a reunion for the star behind Blaine Anderson and his castmates from the former Fox show, but he also joins forces once again with Cisco Ramon/Vibe actor Carlos Valdes. Though most will know Criss from ‘Glee’, his various stints on Broadway, or his extensive advocacy and charity work, he is also a founding member of Team Starkid, a theater troupe started at the University of Michigan that is known for parody musicals like ‘A Very Potter Musical’, ‘Holy Musical B@man!’, and ‘Ani: A Parody’. While attending U of M, Valdes and Criss worked on a number of Starkid productions together. It will be interesting to see if they share the screen for a show-stopping song or two during the crossover. But whether they do or not, it should be exciting to see that kid who played Harry Potter in a musical on YouTube be a part of the DC Universe.
What do you think about Darren Criss playing the Music Meister in the ‘Supergirl’/‘The Flash’ crossover later this year? Do you think that he’s a suitable successor to Neil Patrick Harris? Might we even get an all-new original song written by Criss performed on the show? And do you think that he’ll somehow manage to fit a Katy Perry cover into this show as well? Share your thoughts and theories in the comments below.
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