Darren Criss Talks Expanding & Incorporating ‘Stranger Things’ into Elsie Fest

Like most things in pop culture these days, Darren Criss’ Elsie Fest is not immune to Stranger Things.

Netflix’s smash sci-fi series will be well-represented at the Labor Day music festival, which salutes show tune lovers and features a slew of Broadway veterans. Taking place all Monday at the Ford Amphitheater on the Coney Island Boardwalk in New York, Elsie Fest will happily incorporate some Stranger Things fan service into its cast of familiar characters and parade of guest stars.

“I love that the boys from Stranger Things are joining us,” Criss tells Fuse. “Caleb McLaughlin, who plays Lucas on the show, and Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin, are both Broadway boys. Dustin was in Les Mis with my buddy, and little Caleb was in The Lion King for a while as Simba. We’re doing a mini-set together, and their backing band will be my band, and their set will be called ‘The Upside Down,’ so that’s exciting.”