Well, Phillipa Soo, who played Eliza in “Hamilton,” has a funny cameo in “Blue’s Big City Adventure,” doesn’t she? That’s right (laughs). You acted in musicals, on Broadway and off, before you were tapped to do “Blue’s Clues & You.” If you were given a chance to do a theater show now, which three productions immediately come to mind? Oh, man… I wish I could do everything (laughs)! But if I could pick three different roles in three different productions, one of shows would have to be “Hamilton.” I’d love to play any role in that one… I wish we had longer to prepare, just so I could hang out and continue to learn from them. The dancers in the movie are so incredibly talented and kind, and they pushed me to learn all of this amazing choreography in so short a time. It couldn’t have been done with anyone else. Josh dela Cruz (center) with Steve Burns and Donovan Patton -PHOTOS COURTESY OF NICKELODEON They’re a force to reckon with, and if you love the music and dancing, they’re very much integral to this movie. I wanted to use all the skills that I had learned from all those talented and amazing people that I had worked with!Īnd so, when the TV show came along, and the people behind it really wanted me to utilize everything that I had learned along the way, it felt like I hit jackpot! This was what I was looking for all those years, and it’s for a show that helps kids and their families.Īs far as the choreography in the movie is concerned, the only way that happened was because of our choreographers, Lindsey Blaufarb and Craig Hollamon and their assistant, Jessica Castro. But there was something tugging at me, telling me that I wanted something else and something more. I didn’t know this at the time, but when I was doing “Aladdin,” I really loved my job and the people I worked with. How long did it take you to rehearse them? And how does it feel for you to be able to merge your two passions-for theater and the TV show itself? It’s amazing. There’s a lot of singing and dancing in the movie. We’re just trying to access that childlike wonder and joy that we hope kids will be feeling when they watch the show. And while we do play characters on this program, they’re also parts of who we are. We all bring something different to the table, and each of it is very personal. We all have a similar sense of humor, but we have different ways of going about it, whether it’s by way of physical comedy or sarcasm or my dumb brand of humor. Steve is genuinely Steve, and Donovan is genuinely Joe. Steve, Donovan and I have done that same thing. So don’t ever feel like you have to replicate or copy anything that we’ve done in the past-and that’s true especially for this movie.” They said, “We cast you because we love what you bring to the table. What do you think does each of you bring to the franchise? BCU … yeah (laughs)! To answer your question, I’ll tell you what they told me when I started doing the show. It feels like you, Steve and Donovan make up significant segments of what I call the BCU (Blue’s Clues Universe). With all its great singing and catchy choreography, the feel-good movie is guaranteed to put a smile on viewers’ faces. All children ever want is to be taken seriously and to be heard. I’m speaking from experience as a former child, and as a current child … depending on the day or the moment I’m in (laughs). We really care about kids and what they think and say. We’re always thinking if there’s a better way to do it. We’re constantly checking in with our Early Childhood Development group, making sure that all the information we’re trying to convey is received. I think that’s really important because we take kids very, very seriously in every stage of our production process. Īngela and Traci Paige Johnson took that concept a step further and waited for the kids to answer. What do you think is the secret behind “Blue’s Clues’” enduring popularity? The thing that helped set “Blue’s Clues” apart, particularly when it first aired in 1996, was that we took our cue from Fred Rogers and how he established talking to kids. The show has undergone different iterations, with Steve Burns (1996-2002) and Donovan Patton (2002-2006) holding the hosting reins before you took over in 2019.
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