"Each show has a particular theme," Corbett says. "I have my own segment on the show called 'Shapes in Space.' I sing, I dance and I have monologues."

In one episode about machines he talks about helicopters and made one out of cardboard. At the beginning of each show a theme song is played, revealing what will be discussed in that episode. Corbett and the cast perform the theme song, which involves choreographed dancing in front of a horde of dancing, bouncing kids.

"The songs are what get the kids hooked," he says. "They try to learn and memorize each song and dance. It's kind of a pop group for little kids."

The show's appeal is cross-cultural, Corbett says. The actors come from a variety of backgrounds: Hawaiian, black, white and in the case of Corbett, Native American.

"That is one of the great things about this show. Children of every ethnicity can identify with someone in the cast."

Corbett discovered his love for acting while performing in the Harrington Theater Arts Company's production of the play "Pippin," during his senior year in 2001.

"I waited until the last possible moment to audition for the part. I was afraid that if I got the part, I would want to go into acting instead of working in the government," he says.

"But with some encouragement from friends, I auditioned and I landed the lead role. I was so shocked and happy. 'Pippin' is probably one of the reasons why I'm where I am today. It gave me a taste of how exciting acting was. I couldn't give it up when I graduated."

Before landing a job as an actor on "Hi-5," Corbett studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. There he refined his acting skills and fell in love with Shakespeare. Once back in the States, he performed in the ensemble of "Romeo and Juliet" at the McCarter Theater in New Jersey. While continuing to audition for different parts in plays and readings, Corbett had a two-episode stint on "All My Children," where he played a delivery boy.

"I had three lines, and I got a dramatic zoom where I was supposed to look angry because I got a lousy tip. But it came off as if I was trying to seduce her," he says. "At first I was really embarrassed when I saw that shot, but then I thought it might give me more work. So I had some friends call in, pretending not to know me, asking that they have me back on the show. It worked and I appeared on another episode, but I didn't get a dramatic pause."

After that, Corbett freelanced for a bit, taking parts in readings on small off-Broadway plays. He says he thinks he did some of his best work in the play "Stop This" which ran at a small, intimate theater in Manhattan, where the actors could interact with the audience.

There were times when he couldn't find any acting jobs. He worked at an acting studio as a receptionist in order to make ends meet.

"Not getting jobs is probably the hardest part of acting, and at points I thought 'am I wasting time?' But working at the Robert McCaskill studio enabled me to network and make contacts with people in the industry."

Corbett credits his mother -- the Tony Award nominated director of "Swing" -- for helping him in his pursuit of his dream.

"My mom basically saves me three years right off the bat, helping me get to know people in the industry. Without my mom, I wouldn't have known Carol Hanzel, the casting director for 'Hi-5'. Mom has helped me get to the door, but I'd had to open it.

"In this business it's all about who you know," he says. "Because there are so many qualified people, it's hard to get work. If someone in the business knows you since you were little -- and has watched you grow up -- that person is going to help you out as much as they can.

This was the case with "Hi-5," Corbett says.

"Carol, the casting director, has known me since I was a little kid. She had heard an old CD of the Y-Chromes and thought I'd be perfect for 'Hi-5,' which was coming stateside from Australia.

"She called me and told me that she had the perfect job for me. She didn't tell the producers that I knew her. I auditioned and got called back, but wasn't hired at first. I was bummed out."

Soon afterwards, Corbett was hired by Disney World as the understudy to the actor playing Aladdin. Luckily, he didn't sign a contract; because his mother called later and told him not to take the gig.

"Apparently, one of the guys hired for 'Hi-5' was acting weird about taking the job and didn't want to leave New York to go to Australia," Corbett says. "So I called up my agent and I got the job. It was incredible.

"It was fabulous. I was able to become more independent financially and professionally. I'm going to be seen on television and get experience in front of cameras."

A typical day for Corbett while filming the show was anything but a vacation. He, and his fellow cast members, got up at 6:30 a.m. and had to be in the studio by 7:30 for an eight hour rehearsal. On days the cast were taping, the men would have to get up around 6 a.m. and the women around 5 a.m., due to a lengthier make-up process. The recording days were long, he says, but the atmosphere was light because it was a children's show, so it was always enjoyable.They taped 45 episodes for the first season while in Australia.

"We would have to learn five scripts in two days," Corbett says with a chuckle. "I don't remember all of my lines that I had to learn, but I remember all of the songs. Sometimes I find myself randomly whistling or singing one of the songs."

Prior to finding his calling as an actor, Corbett aspired to be involved in politics and possibly become a diplomat. One of his political science professors got him an internship for after he graduated in the State Department.

In addition to his participation in the Y-Chromes and HTAC, Corbett published an article on stem cell research in the Center for Public Integrity's journal "Public Eye" the Fall Semester of his senior year. The time he spent at the university, Corbett says, is one of the reasons for his success as an actor.

"I'm now such a successful actor because of all the amazing experiences I had at Delaware," he says. "All the great friends, the nurturing professors as well as the Y Chromes and HTAC really influenced my life -- and for that I am grateful."

Corbett says he misses being a student at the university.

"I think what I miss most about Delaware are my friends, all the good times were had and being around so many people thirsty for knowledge, trying to enrich their lives," he says.

If he ever decides to go back to working in the government, Corbett says he would work with organizations like the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund to help kids around the world. He also may branch out, in the future, from acting into the music business, which also runs in his genes. Corbett's father has had a record contract with Arista records and is currently a talent scout for Sony.

Corbett's advice to anyone trying to break into an acting career is to put all of their energy into achieving their dreams.

"Put every ounce of passion into what you do. Don't do other jobs that you don't enjoy just to make money. Go straight to New York or L.A. and spend your early adult life investing in what you love to do.

"And you might have to sacrifice a great deal, but you have to do it now because if you wait, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life," he says.

"Keep the faith in what your doing and don't lose sight of you dreams and goals."