Bonus interview with Darren Criss

Darren Criss is currently on tour with Lea Michele, his former co-star on Fox-TV's hit series "Glee." The tour arrives in Tempe, AZ on Saturday and Los Angeles on Monday before heading abroad to the UK and Ireland. The following are more excerpts from my interview with Darren (the main interview can be found elsewhere on this blog)...

Q: What did Katy Perry think about your successful cover of “Teenage Dream” on ‘Glee’?
A: When it came out, Katy was very supportive. I think within days of it being on TV, we actually ended up singing that song together at a Trevor Project benefit where I actually met her.

Q: How big of an undertaking is it for you to plan and prepare for Elsie Festival in New York's Central Park, which last month included Rufus Wainwright, Matthew Morrison, Grant Gustin and others?
A: It’s the biggest mountain I have to climb all year...On top of making sure everything was set up for that, I also played the festival. It’s a lot of work, but I’m very very proud of it. It’s definitely my shining achievement. It’s a total passion and personal project. I’m glad it’s still doing ok.

Q: What made you decide to open Tramp Stamp Granny's, a new piano bar, this year in LA?
A: That’s 100% my fiancé. I’m very flattered that people seem to think I’m the driving force behind it, but it’s really her thing and always has been. I’m literally just the piano player. I was there last night on the piano. Anytime I can get, I’m on there. It has to do with our own background and love of piano bars in New York and San Francisco, Minneapolis. A lot of places we love. As long as I’ve know her, she’s wanted to open this bar. It’s amazing to be able to experience something that was a pipe dream for so long. Then it’s real. That’s her Elsie Fest. We had our dream things we wanted to do. Now we get to see them in the world and have a life of their own.

Q: When you were on the set and later doing promotion for FX's "American Crime Story" did you ever compare acting or performance notes with co-star Ricky Martin?
A: When I’m hanging out with Ricky Martin, it’s the last thing I ask him. We’re (usually) just having a laugh. We definitely had some fun nights out together doing some singalongs. That seems to be a common though line in a lot of our hangs. Sitting around the house playing music. That’s no different from what I do all the time. I’m either doing it at a festival or a bar or on a tour or on a couch at home. I’m always trying to play a song for people to sing along to. He’s been a part of that just as many other people in my life have.