He credits Montclair State with helping him embrace his identity. That definitely does play a part in why maybe I never even saw myself on television – or even mainstream media.” “I never experienced seeing somebody like me on TV growing up. Josh Dela Cruz as Bobby Child in Montclair State’s production of Crazy for You, 2008.īut, as a Filipino American, Dela Cruz says he initially didn’t envision himself on television. Jessica Fox, a mother of two from Maplewood, New Jersey, reports: “Both my kids love him! And so do I!”Īfter graduating from Montclair State 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 The King and I, earning roles in the David Lynch/Fatboy Slim collaboration Here Lies Love and Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, and working as an ensemble cast member and understudy for the lead in the Disney hit Aladdin.

Mira’s mom, Jennifer DiDomenico, says Mira is “obsessed with this show.”Īnd the appeal crosses age groups.

“He is a good singer!” says 3-year-old Mira, a fan of the show from Millburn, New Jersey, who also likes that “Josh” built a block tower for Blue and his puppy friend Magenta when they were sad. Courtesy of Nickelodeon.Īccording 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. Josh Dela Cruz with Blue at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2019. 1 among preschool shows in its first week, and a second season was ordered just eight days after its November 11, 2019, debut. The answer – with the dynamic Josh Dela Cruz ’11 as the human sidekick to cartoon puppy Blue – is a resounding, “Yes!” When Nickelodeon’s breakout hit children’s show Blue’s Clues (1996-2006) returned as the rebooted Blue’s Clues & You! last fall, some wondered whether this sweet and occasionally silent show from the pre-smartphone era could succeed amidst the noise of the “digital age.”

Posted in: Alumni Success Stories, Department of Theatre and Dance News, Student Success Theatre and Dance Alumnus finds success in Blue’s Clues Reboot!

Blues clues painting wagon game