-Happy 21st birthday to “High School Musical” star Corbin Bleu! Don’t forget that you can see Corbin on Broadway in In the Heights through April 25. Pick up your tickets HERE!

Also celebrating birthdays are Ellen Page and Ashley Greene.

-Corbin Bleu is in the middle of his run as “Usnavi” in the Broadway musical In the Heights. He dropped by both The Today Show & Pix 11 Morning News recently to chat about the musical.

Corbin talked about the difference between the stage and TV/movies, why he wanted to do Broadway, and much more. Corbin will be performing through April 25, 2010. In The Heights plays the Richard Rodgers Theatre. For tickets and more information, visit www.intheheightsthemusical.com.

-Take a look at Variety’s Power of Youth and Fanlala’s “Save Haiti” PSA. The Power of Youth is all about encouraging the Youth to get out there and make a difference. With the recent devastation in Haiti due to earthquakes, the organization’s celebrity supporters are committed to Haiti Relief efforts, and are encouraging their fans around the globe to get involved and help all the people affected by this earthquake.

To find out how you can make a donation to various charities, visit variety.com/haiti. Young stars lending their voices in the PSA below are Jesse McCartney, Bailee Madison, Corbin Bleu, Big Time Rush, Mitchel Musso, Nathan Kress, Taylor Spreitler, Jennifer Stone, Jake T Austin, Keke Palmer, & Shailene Woodley.

Many young stars have teamed up for another Haiti PSA for Feed the Children. Expect to see that soon.

-Corbin Bleu made his Broadway debut last night in In the Heights. The “High School Musical” alum plays Usnavi and will be in the musical through April 25. The musical tells the universal story of a vibrant community in Manhattan’s Washington Heights – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.

Corbin recently chatted with MTV and the NY Daily News about his new role. He shared, “I grew up in Brooklyn around all Dominicans and Puerto Ricans, so we were the only Italians on the block. I grew up eating [the cuisine]. I grew up with these characters, so it’s a very real thing for me. I don’t think there could be a better show to make a Broadway debut in than ‘In the Heights.’ ”

-Corbin Bleu is heading to Broadway! The “High School Musical” alum will star as Usnavi in the musical, In the Heights according to Variety. Corbin will appear in the musical from Jan. 25 to April 25.

In the Heights is set in a diverse neighborhood in upper Manhattan and features its fair share of college-age protags grappling with the various decisions of young adulthood.

Congrats Corbin!

-Jesse McCartney, Corbin Bleu, Miranda Cosgrove, Annalynne McCord & Keke Palmer were the 5 young stars honored at Variety’s 3rd Annual Power of Youth Event on Saturday for their charity work. Jesse was honored for his work with City of Hope. Jesse told Variety “Bob Cavallo (chairman of the Disney Music Group and) the head of Hollywood Records, which has been my record label for the last six years, introduced me to City of Hope. Once I had the chance to really study the center and all of the things that they do, especially with their pediatric programs, I became a little obsessed.” Jesse recently visited the Cancer Research Center. You can see a video of that HERE.

Corbin Bleu was recognized for his work with Starlight Children’s Foundation. Corbin is the national spokesperson for the organization and told Variety, “I started about five years ago when I did a hospital visit and was shocked at what a huge difference the (organization) makes for not only these children but also their families, who are also affected. I consider family one of the most important aspects of life, because at the end of the day your family is who is always going to be there for you. When it comes to these children, their family is all they have because some of them never get to leave the hospital.”

Miranda Cosgrove was honored for her work with St. Jude’s. She shared: “I got a call about visiting the hospital with the Jonas Brothers and Angus Jones (“Two and a Half Men”). We went and met the kids, who were so cool. That really got me into the (organization). It just seemed like a perfect fit, because I love kids and I love making people happy, and at the same time, I had a lot of fun doing karaoke and drawing games and just meeting everyone and getting to know them.”

Keke Palmer for her work with the Boys and Girls Club. She shared that she got involved when “The executive director of ICTBS, Curtis Benjamin, approached (me) three years ago and asked me if I wanted to go talk to some kids about my experiences. I said sure because I love talking to my peers. It ended up being a lot of fun. I love trying to motivate and inspire them and let them know there is more out there in life than the neighborhood they live in.”

Annalynne McCord was honored for her work with The Blind Project, which is a nonprofit New York City-based organization dedicated to raising awareness and improving the quality of life for sex-trafficking victims. The org, focused on Southeast Asia, provides access to rehabilitation services, quality education and innovative economic opportunities.

Congrats to all 5 for helping to make a difference!

(Click inside for more POY Interview videos…)

-Corbin Bleu & Bailee Madison show off their Sims 3 skills at the Starlight Hospital Happening Event at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon. The event was sponsored by Electronic Arts in conjunction with Variety’s annual Power Of Youth initiative, to which Starlight is a charity beneficiary, and allowed the hospital’s teens to play The Sims 3 and The Sims 3 World Adventures. Bailee & Corbin also spent time with the kids.

Bailee, at just 10-years-old, has been named the spokesperson for the Starlight Children’s Foundation’s StarPower program. StarPower is an initiative that encourages youth to give back to other youngsters with the conviction that you’re never too young to give back to your community. Bailee is joined by a special group of young film and television actors, athletes and performers – StarPower Ambassadors – who have also committed to use their time, energy and initiative on behalf of Starlight families.

“It was two years ago that I first attended a Starlight event,” says Bailee. While listening to Corbin Bleu (Starlight’s national spokesperson) speak that night, I remember turning to my mommy and telling her that I wanted to make a difference. She turned back to me and said, ‘You will’ and our prayers were answered this summer when I filmed ‘Letters to God.’ I saw the power that hope, love and compassion have in helping each child find light and laughter during some of their darkest times, which is exactly what Starlight brings to the lives of families every day. I am so very excited for the opportunity to show that no matter how young we are, we can make a difference.”

StarPower Ambassadors use their “star power” to brighten the lives of young patients with hospital visits and entertainment performances, by hosting chats in Starlight’s chat room for sick teens, volunteering at Starlight events and Great Escapes family outings, spreading awareness about Starlight’s programs and campaigns, and participating in fundraising efforts.

Bailee can be seen in the upcoming film, Brothers (with Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire), which opens Friday, December 4. And also in 2010, An Invisible Sign of My Own (with Jessica Alba), Betty Anne Waters (with Hilary Swank), Letters To God, the true and inspiring story of a young boy’s struggle with cancer, and finally, Guillermo del Toro’s Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark (with Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce) in which she has the starring role.

To learn more about the Starlight Foundation, visit starlight.org. Bailee recently chatted with Popstar! about her work with the foundation. Watch those videos below. Also be sure to follow Bailee on twitter: @followbailee. She’s definitely a young star to watch out for. Critics have raved about her role in Brothers and Lionsgate is even presenting her for consideration for an Academy Award nomination. Congrats Bailee!

-Corbin Bleu attended the Oasis of the Seas Make-A-Wish Gala in Fort Lauderdale, FL on Monday evening. Corbin also recently participated in the Come Together as One campaign with stars like Nikki Reed, Ed Westwick, Leighton Meester & more. The organization is committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa.

-Corbin Bleu & Debby Ryan squeeze in for a picture while serving Thanksgiving dinner at the LA Mission & Anne Douglas Center’s Thanksgiving Meal For The Homeless on Wednesday afternoon. Also helping out were Debby’s brother, Chase Ryan, Kayla Ewell, Stephanie Pratt, Lauren Storm, Andrea Bowen, Tania Gunadi, and Olesya Rulin. The LA Mission served almost 3,000 meals to the homeless last year. To learn more, visit losangelesmission.org.

Debby tweeted after the event: Heyy! If you’d like to help our LA neighbors, text MEALS to 40579 to donate $5 to the Los Angeles Mission. Ask your parents first! So blessed to be serving my neighbors alongside some amazing hearts. Amazing Thanksgiving. She also posted on her myspace blog: I went with my family to serve at the Los Angeles Mission. We served Thanksgiving Dinner to thousands of less fortunate people. It was really special for all of us to know that we were able to immediately see the benefit of what we did. I took live calls on my saynow on the way home and got to find out what a lot of my fans are doing for Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for today!

More pics have been added.

-Corbin Bleu, Allen Evangelista, Kyle & Chris Massey, and Katerina Graham attended the Children Mending Hearts “Please Mr. President” Workshop in NYC on Sunday afternoon. Children Mending Hearts is a global arts exchange between at-risk children in America and children living in conflict zones that educates, empowers and encourages children and gives them a voice, inspiring them to a sense of empathy and desire for peace. To learn more, visit childrenmendinghearts.org.

-”High School Musical” co-stars Ashley Tisdale & Monique Coleman give each other a big hug on the red carpet at the premiere of This Is It in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening. It was an HSM reunion of sorts, as Corbin Bleu was also in attendance and the movie was directed by Kenny Ortega. The movie opens in theaters this Friday.

-SO-M had the chance to chat with Corbin Bleu recently to promote his new movie. Corbin stars as “Cale Bryant” in the new movie Free Style, which opens today. The story is about a young man working to achieve his dream of being a professional motocross racer, but also dealing with the hardships of life, including love, money and friendship. The movie is full of action and also touches on several issues that every one can relate to. The movie is much more than just a movie about Motocross. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The movie co-stars Madison Pettis, Penelope Anne Miller & Sandra Echeverria. For a list of theaters playing the movie, go HERE.

Check out our interview below as Corbin talks about the movie, “The Beautiful Life,” music, transitioning from “High School Musical” and more.

After making this movie, do you have an interest in motocross?
Corbin: I have a bike. I got a bike. As long as I’m not under contract for something at the time, I definitely push my limits and try to go out there and ride and do as much as I can. I’ve become obsessed with the sport. I go out to all the races. I have a bike and I go out and ride all the time. I have a Kawasaki 250X.

Can you do any tricks?
Corbin: Actually yeah. I’m getting more into it. It takes a while. I’m jumping now. I can alteast make a single jump, which is a lot for me. It’s great and I love the sport. It’s really family oriented. You go to these races and the entire family is there. Really supported. It’s needed because it’s a such an expensive sport and really only the top 5 riders in the World really have a sufficient paycheck.

This story is amazing because it’s a guy who’s father left him as a kid. He’s caring for his mother and his sister. He works two jobs just to put food on the table and at the same time he’s trying to turn pro in the sport. It’s hard and there’s so many obstacles in the way. The fact that he actually gets it done and he makes it there is pretty powerful. It’s so rare and it’s a lot to break into the sport.

We hear you dropped snowballs and ice on people.
Corbin: We were dealing with the elements constantly. There was schizophrenic weather. I think mainly snowball fights were a constant. Especially with Madison. It’s so much fun having someone younger on set. It just brings such a pleasant vibe.

Your production company worked on ‘Free Style’. Were you part of casting?
Corbin: I was. I was part of all the casting, which was great. Madison [Pettis] was almost an automatic. I had met her a few times prior at events. We would go, we have to play brother and sister at some point because this is just ridiculous. [laughs] That was a definite. Then looking for the girl. We auditioned a lot of different girls. The whole Mexican culture of the film wasn’t originally in the script. We were looking at a bunch of different girls, then Sandra [Echeverria] walked in the room. At the very beginning she was too beautiful. She came in all dressed up. We called her for a callback we said come dressed down. You’re gorgeous, you’re stunning. We wanted her to play a little more edgy than she came in. We read, the chemistry was there and she had the accent, which was great.

That also propelled the movie to a whole other level. Obviously we had the racial thing. We definitely wanted to cast my mother and father as an interracial couple. Then a whole other culture was brought in with her being Mexican and him being thrown into this crazy world with a fiesta and her whole culture. It’s a very mixed world.

There are so many different layers in this movie, not just about the sport. What did you draw on for these emotional scenes.
Corbin: I’ve always gone back to friends. Friends in high school, in my life. I have several friends that have grown up with single parents, no parents, have struggled financially, that have dealt with everything. I’ve been very blessed my whole life. I have a very put together family. They’re very close and tight knit. When I was born we struggled financially but we’ve been very blessed now. You always pull from that. You pull from the synthetic. It’s not always from life experiences. That’s why everywhere you go as an actor, you’re always watching, always listening. You never know when you’ll have to experience that same thing in a role. It was definitely different but I enjoyed it. It gave me an appreciation as well for what I have.

What would you consider the lowest point in your life and how you overcame it, because that’s a big theme of this film.
Corbin: I’m very self critical, more so than most people. I can get very down on myself at some points. I think for me the lowest point is when, I’m so much a perfectionist, I make a big thing out of things that aren’t really such a big deal. Overcoming it has always been family and that’s one of the major themes in this film. The people around you are the ones who are going to bring you through.

How was it transitioning from High School Musical into a film like this?
Corbin: It’s still a family film, something for everyone. Cale is still a little more complex than Chad. Chad is happy with his basketball. I think the major transition for this film for me was working behind the scenes. My production company was behind the film. I got to work on the casting, finding the location. Every day we’d regroup and figure out how the next day would go. It was different. The battle between the business end and the creative side is also a challenge.

How has your experience with Disney helped your career?
Corbin: I started working when I was 2. I’ve been in this industry for a while. “High School Musical” was the first project that was obviously huge. That skyrocketed to another level. I was able to view it from a different perspective then. The major thing with working with Disney was obviously propelling me to that level that I’d never experienced before with fans. At this point there is just a lot more opportunities at hand.

Do you prefer to be seen as an “actor who sings” or a “singer who acts?”
Corbin: I prefer to be viewed as an entertainer. I think an entertainer who is someone who does it all. I mean, Gene Kelly never had to choose.

(Read the rest of this interview HERE)

-SO-M recently had the chance to chat with Sandra Echeverria from the upcoming movie Free Style. The movie opens on Friday, October 9th. For a list of theaters playing the movie, go HERE.

Are you similar to your character in Free Style?
Sandra: I’m very similar to my character. I come from a very conservative family. We’re very close and very passionate about animals, love and life. I think she’s just like me.

Alex loves riding horses. Have you ever ridden a horse before?
Sandra: When I was very little, a pony maybe. Not really like horseriding. I took some classes in Los Angeles. When I arrived in Canada I got a teacher and he tried to teach me a little more. I love animals and horses. I want to continue it.

Were there any funny moments on set?
Sandra: This was the first onscreen kiss for Corbin [Bleu]. It was very cute and I remember we were trying to do the scene and his father came to watch. We were like ok, your father is telling you to kiss me. That’s weird.

Do you have a favorite scene from the movie?
Sandra: I like the one where I’m cleaning the horse and he’s cleaning his bike. Because we’re both together, but each one is doing their own things with their own passions. I like that dynamic. It was nice.
Madison Pettis: Like how he says, “I ride a different animal.”
Sandra: Exactly The scene is below

The movie actually deals with some heavy issues that viewers might be surprised about. Can you talk about those?
Sandra: A think a lot of people can identify with this film because of that. You can see problems that we face every day with the family, with the money, with a dream. It’s hard, you have to struggle in order to really see your dream and what you want. I come from a divorced family and it was very hard. I was 11 years old when they separated. I still have that pain in my heart because I still miss my father.

Was there a turning point in your life when you decided you wanted to become an actress?
Sandra: I started as a singer, not really as an actress, so I’m an actress by a mistake. [laughs] I started singing when I was 9 and I was part of a group for 6 years. We had two albums and were part of a big network in Mexico. They were like you need to start acting. They got me in a school and I started acting and I did my first show in Mexico. I fell in love with acting and that’s why I moved to LA and started really getting into it and in classes. I’m trying to do both now. I don’t forget about music.

Would you and Corbin ever duet?
Sandra: We haven’t, but I would love to. That’s why we connected very well since the beginning. We both love music and have this passion.
Madison Pettis: I would buy it. I’d be the first one to buy it on iTunes.
Sandra: Thank you!

(Read the rest of this interview HERE)