New Jesus! Corbin Bleu to Join GODSPELL April 17

On Tuesday, April 17, 2012, the company of Broadway's first-ever revival of Stephen Schwartz's GODSPELL welcomes a new leading man -- stage and screen star Corbin Bleu (Disney's "High School Musical," Broadway's In the Heights) -- to the starring role of Jesus.

Corbin Bleu follows original star Hunter Parrish, who is set to play his final performance as Jesus on Sunday, April 15, 2012, before returning to Los Angeles to begin filming the eighth season of the hit Showtime series "Weeds."

"I know Corbin Bleu has a special affinity for GODSPELL, and with his great talent, charisma, and radiant energy, I know he will be terrific in the show," said Stephen Schwartz. "I am very much looking forward to working with him and seeing him as our new Jesus."

Corbin Bleu made his Broadway stage debut in 2010 as the lead character, bodega-owner Usnavi, in the critically acclaimed musical In the Heights.

He starred in the Emmy-award winning Disney Channel Original Movie "High School Musical" and its sequel, "High School Musical 2" alongside Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, and Ashley Tisdale. "High School Musical 2" premiered to 18 million viewers, making it the highest rated Disney Channel Original Movie in history and the overall highest rated program in cable history.

Following to the worldwide success of "High School Musical," Bleu reprised his role in "High School Musical 3: Senior Year." The film broke opening weekend records and grossed over $250 million worldwide.

In March 2009, he released his second studio album, Speed of Light (Hollywood Records), a collaboration with some of the top producers and writers in the industry including Eric Hudson (Kanye West, Jennifer Hudson), Claude Kelly (Akon, Michael Jackson) and Brian Kennedy (Rihanna). He co-wrote the songs "Moments that Matter" and "Champion" with Claude Kelly (both tracks produced by Eric Hudson).

His debut solo album Another Side was released in May 2007. The album featured the hit single "Push it to the Limit" from the film Jump In! His single "Run It Back Again," from the Disney Channel Original Movie "Minutemen," became one of the top 10 downloaded songs on iTunes. Bleu performed material from "Another Side during" his North America tours in 2007 and 2008. He was subsequently nominated for a 2008 NAACP Image Award for Best New Artist.

His other film credits include Catch That Kid opposite Kristen Stewart, Soldier opposite Kurt Russell, Galaxy Quest opposite Tim Allen and Sigourney Weaver, Mystery Men opposite Ben Stiller and Hank Azaria, Duane Clark's Family Tree and William Dear's Free Style, which Bleu also produced.

On stage, he starred in the Off-Broadway production of Tiny Tim Is Dead as well as Brothers of the Knight with Debbie Allen. He attended the prestigious Debbie Allen Dance Academy and then attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts as a theatre Major.

Corbin Bleu was born in Brooklyn, New York and currently resides in Los Angeles and New York City. He is the national spokesperson for the Starlight Children's Foundation and is also involved with St. Jude's Children's Hospital and the Make-a-Wish.

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