Darren Criss staged a surprise show in New York on Sunday (18Dec11) to benefit a children's charity.

The Glee star hinted at his plans for a secret gig on Saturday (17Dec11), teasing his Twitter.com fans before finally revealing he'd play at Manhattan's Joe's Pub.

The first 100 fans to show up with a toy were allowed entry to the concert in aid of Toys for Tots, which benefits disadvantaged children throughout the festive period.

Criss, who jetted in from Los Angeles on Saturday for the gig, sang a string of his own tracks, as well as Glee songs and joked when he forgot the words to a tune, saying, "This is what happens when you get two hours of sleep a night."