Corbin Bleu
Actor / Singer / Dancer
Commencement Speaker
Corbin Bleu, the actor/singer/dancer most widely known widely known for portraying "Chad Danforth" in Disney's High School Musical franchise, will deliver the university’s Undergraduate Commencement address. The ceremony begins at 10:15 a.m. on Friday, May 17, 2024, at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport.
Bleu brings a broad range of experience from film, television, and theater. He most recently starred as “Seymour” in the Off-Broadway musical Little Shop of Horrors opposite Constance Wu, and will be reprising his role opposite Jinkx Monsoon when he returns to the production in June. Before that, Bleu led the cast of the American Songbook musical Summer Stock for its world premiere at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn.
Among many credits on Broadway, including leading roles in Godspell and In the Heights, Bleu played “Lucentio/Bill Calhoun” in the 2019 revival of Kiss Me, Kate at the legendary Studio 54. He also headlined as “Ted Hanover” in the Tony-nominated production of Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn, winning him the Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show.
Bleu is the Chair of the National Advisory Board of the Looking Ahead Program, a division of Entertainment Community Fund (f/k/a The Actors Fund) focused on helping professional young performers and their families thrive amid the unique challenges of working in the entertainment industry. He also dedicates himself to giving back through programs such as St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Starlight Children’s Foundation, & the Make-a- Wish Foundation.
In addition to Bleu’s address, the ceremony will include the presentation of an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters to Robin Kanarek, president of the Kanarek Family Foundation, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for those affected by cancer and other life-threatening conditions through the promotion and integration of palliative care into all aspects of health care.
Through innovative and collaborative projects at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, and several university-based schools of nursing, spirituality and health, the Kanarek Family Foundation focuses on educating the public and healthcare professionals to the many benefits of early integration of palliative care. Ms. Kanarek serves on the Board of Trustees of Connecticut Hospice in Branford, and the Kanarek Family Foundation has recently funded the development of a Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition in the state.
