Perhaps I expected Blaine Anderson to skip in. The gay Glee character that made Darren famous has slicked-back, Don Draper-inspired hair and a preppy wardrobe to match. Or maybe I thought Hedwig would saunter in. Currently, Darren is starring in the Tony Award-winning Broadway show Hedwig and the Angry Inch. On stage, Hedwig — who is a transgender woman — rocks out in a medley of flamboyant ‘80s wigs and bedazzled denim outfits (she even refers to herself as "The Lion Queen" while showing off a lioness-like fur outfit).
But the real Darren looks like any other dude you'd meet in downtown Manhattan dressed in a casual vintage-inspired tee and jeans. His mop of espresso-colored curls falls over his caterpillar eyebrows and hipster eyeglasses. The only trace of his career lies on his nails, which reveal electric-blue, glittery polish.
Darren considers the lacquer to be free publicity for his dream role to date. "There is a restaurant next to the theater where they don't let the kid in jeans and a t-shirt in," he recalled. "I remember going there, flashing my nails, and saying, 'I think I made a reservation here,' and they were like, 'Oh right, you're doing Hedwig.'"
