{"id":208467,"date":"2020-06-15T17:20:05","date_gmt":"2020-06-15T21:20:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/?p=208467"},"modified":"2020-06-15T17:21:27","modified_gmt":"2020-06-15T21:21:27","slug":"blues-clues-and-josh-dela-cruz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/2020\/06\/15\/blues-clues-and-josh-dela-cruz\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue&#8217;s Clues and Josh Dela Cruz"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"article__dropcap\">W<\/span>hen Nickelodeon\u2019s breakout hit children\u2019s show\u00a0<em>Blue\u2019s Clues<\/em>\u00a0(1996-2006) returned as the rebooted\u00a0<em>Blue\u2019s Clues &amp; You!<\/em>\u00a0last fall, some wondered whether this sweet and occasionally silent show from the pre-smartphone era could succeed amidst the noise of the \u201cdigital age.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The answer \u2013 with the dynamic Josh Dela Cruz \u201911 as the human sidekick to cartoon puppy Blue \u2013 is a resounding, \u201cYes!\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The show ranked No. 1 among preschool shows in its first week, and a second season was ordered just eight days after its November 11, 2019, debut.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__img article__img--full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/04\/THX_PARADE_2019_095.jpg\" alt=\"Josh Dela Cruz with Blue at Macy\u2019s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2019. Courtesy of Nickelodeon.\" width=\"461\" height=\"308\" \/><figcaption class=\"img__caption\"><span class=\"img__caption-text\">Josh Dela Cruz with Blue at Macy\u2019s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2019.<\/span><span class=\"img__attribution\">Courtesy of Nickelodeon.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"p1\">According to critics, one big reason for its wild success is Dela Cruz, whose musical theater chops and natural charm spring from the screen while pulling viewers in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cHe is a good singer!\u201d says 3-year-old Mira, a fan of the show from Millburn, New Jersey, who also likes that \u201cJosh\u201d built a block tower for Blue and his puppy friend Magenta when they were sad. Mira\u2019s mom, Jennifer DiDomenico, says Mira is \u201cobsessed with this show.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">And the appeal crosses age groups. Jessica Fox, a mother of two from Maplewood, New Jersey, reports: \u201cBoth my kids love him! And so do I!\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">After graduating from 精品成人福利在线 with a degree in Musical Theatre, Dela Cruz found success in the New York\/Broadway theater scene, playing Lun Tha across from Lou Diamond Phillips and Rachel Bay Jones in\u00a0<em>The King and I<\/em>, earning roles in the David Lynch\/Fatboy Slim collaboration\u00a0<em>Here Lies Love<\/em>\u00a0and Stephen Sondheim\u2019s\u00a0<em>Merrily We Roll Along<\/em>, and working as an ensemble cast member and understudy for the lead in the Disney hit\u00a0<em>Aladdin<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__img article__img--float article__img--float--right\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/04\/111908_1044_Crazy_For_You.jpg\" alt=\"Josh Dela Cruz as Bobby Child in 精品成人福利在线\u2019s production of Crazy for You, 2008.\" width=\"496\" height=\"744\" \/><figcaption class=\"img__caption\"><span class=\"img__caption-text\">Josh Dela Cruz as Bobby Child in 精品成人福利在线\u2019s production of\u00a0<em>Crazy for You<\/em>, 2008.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"p1\">But, as a Filipino American, Dela Cruz says he initially didn\u2019t envision himself on television. \u201cI never experienced seeing somebody like me on TV growing up. That definitely does play a part in why maybe I never even saw myself on television \u2013 or even mainstream media.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">He credits 精品成人福利在线 with helping him embrace his identity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cThe Theatre and Dance department took me in and put me in plays which I had never done,\u201d Dela Cruz says, noting that he was cast in roles typically reserved for white actors \u2013 from Heinrich von Kleist\u2019s\u00a0<em>The Prince of Homburg<\/em>\u00a0and Tom Stoppard\u2019s\u00a0<em>Arcadia<\/em>, to Ken Ludwig and George Gershwin\u2019s\u00a0<em>Crazy for You<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cIt didn\u2019t matter what I looked like. I don\u2019t know if I would be the performer I am today and as accepting of my identity \u2013 which has led to my success \u2013 if it hadn\u2019t been for 精品成人福利在线.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s2\">Associate Professor of Theatre and Dance Clay James says Dela Cruz made the most of his education: \u201cJosh was the kind of student who, right from the start, took full advantage of everything that 精品成人福利在线 University has to offer, in terms of professional training and performance opportunity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Critics have lauded Dela Cruz\u2019s performance on\u00a0<em>Blue\u2019s Clues &amp; You!<\/em>\u00a0and have noted that he represents both an opportunity for Asian American children to feel seen and for children in general to have an Asian American role model. The show is going all in on Dela Cruz\u2019s Filipino identity: Season 2 will introduce Josh\u2019s lola (Tagalog for grandma), played by actor and jazz performer Carolyn Fe.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"article__quote article__quote--float article__quote--float--left\">\n<p class=\"quote__text\">\u201cI don\u2019t know if I would be the performer I am today and as accepting of my identity if it hadn\u2019t been for 精品成人福利在线.\u201d<\/p>\n<footer class=\"quote__footer\"><cite class=\"quote__cite\">Josh Dela Cruz<\/cite><\/footer>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\">Meanwhile, Josh is embracing his new role as not just an entertainer \u2013 but as an educator.\u00a0<em>Blue\u2019s Clues &amp; You!<\/em>\u00a0is fun, but at its core, it\u2019s educational television a la\u00a0<em>Mr. Rogers\u2019 Neighborhood<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The show focuses on social-emotional issues, pre-math, pre-reading, science and preschool rituals in a fun way (with a game of solving a mystery) and in a comfortable setting with repetition and songs to increase both enjoyment and retention.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s3\">According to NickJr.com: \u201cEveryone is invited to play with Blue, a pre-school aged puppy with a clue \u2026 three, actually! Each day, Blue leaves paw prints on three objects around her house to communicate what activity she wants to do. Josh, Blue\u2019s excited new caregiver and friend, looks for the paw prints and works to figure out Blue\u2019s message \u2026 but he can only solve Blue\u2019s Clues with the help of YOU!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s3\">A new generation of young viewers help Blue by answering questions posed by Dela Cruz who then waits silently, giving children at home time to think and respond to their television screens. To end the silence, Josh brightly announces, \u201cRight!\u201d \u201cGreat, thanks!\u201d or \u201cYou know what to do!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__img article__img--full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/04\/BC-Sep24-onset-118-1.jpg\" alt=\"Josh Dela Cruz in front of green screen\" width=\"527\" height=\"352\" \/><figcaption class=\"img__caption\"><span class=\"img__attribution\">Photo courtesy of Nickelodeon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s3\">Dela Cruz brings warmth and realism to his performance despite acting it all out in front of a green screen on a sound stage in Toronto, with a laser light standing in for Blue. As the show\u2019s lead human performer, he spent seven months in Toronto filming the first season, and returned for another six months to film the second season.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s3\">Dela Cruz says the educational component to the performance is a natural fit, and credits 精品成人福利在线 for not only training him as a performer, but fostering his love of teaching.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cWhile I was in\u00a0<em>Aladdin<\/em>, I taught a senior workshop for 精品成人福利在线 Musical Theatre students,\u201d he recalls.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s3\">Dela Cruz says that he and his wife, musical theater professional (Broadway\u2019s\u00a0<em>Jersey Boys<\/em>) Amanda Phillips \u201911, have both \u201cfallen in love with teaching\u201d and hope to come back to 精品成人福利在线 to work with students in theatre and dance classes. \u201cThe fact that 精品成人福利在线 gave me an opportunity to come back after I worked out in the world professionally, I can\u2019t thank them enough. Now I get to help kids with\u00a0<em>Blue\u2019s Clues &amp; You!<\/em>\u00a0It\u2019s amazing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cJosh and Amanda weren\u2019t afraid to put in the time and did the work far beyond what was expected of them,\u201d says James. \u201cI am so proud of what they have accomplished professionally and thrilled that they are now paying it forward by inspiring current performance students through their master classes and guest teaching opportunities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s3\">Dela Cruz says the University made it all possible for an immigrant kid to realize his dreams.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cWe lived a modest middle class life. I remember looking up schools for musical theatre, and tuition per year was what my dad made,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m so thankful that I don\u2019t have student debt. Having an affordable place to study is something I treasure and so appreciate as well as having a good quality education.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<span class=\"prpl-button\"><a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/magazine\/spring-summer-2020\/blues-clues-josh-dela-cruz\/\" target=\"_blank\">View source<\/a><\/span>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Theatre and Dance Alumnus finds success in Blue&#8217;s Clues Reboot!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":208469,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,12,66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-208467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-308_alumni-success-stories","category-190_theatre-dance","category-student-success"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=208467"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208467\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208474,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208467\/revisions\/208474"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/208469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=208467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=208467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=208467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}