Christopher Paul Colfer was born in Clovis, California, on May 27th, 1990. He grew up performing in community and regional theatre, and when he was 14, assistant-directed a theatrical benefit for Valley Children's Hospital. He was very active throughout high school: he was involved in drama, was the president of the writer's club, was editor of the school literary magazine and was a speech and debate champion.
At the end of his senior year, he wrote, directed and starred in a musical spoof of Sweeney Todd, titled Shirley Todd, at the end of his senior year. He starred as Mr. Lovett .
While pursuing a career in film and television, he worked mornings before school in the cafeteria as a cookie scooper and summers as a clerk at a dry cleaners.