This cover story was originally published by The Parthenon on November 12, 2013.
The Blue Man Group will bring its unique style to the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center Wednesday for a one-of-a-kind performance.
The Blue Man Group was founded in 1987 by Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton but has since evolved into a large organization. The group has been delighting audiences for decades with a brand of entertainment that is difficult to define. The ensemble incorporates music, technology, comedy and theatrics into each wordless performance to charm audiences.
Mike Brown, an official Blue Man as of 2003, said the founders wanted to add something new to New York City’s art scene.
“In their time, they were just kind of tired of the art scene they were seeing and they really just wanted to create the kind of show that they would want to see and that they would want to go tell their friends to see,” Brown said.
Brown first became a fan of the group after seeing a 1997 performance in New York City. He said it captivated him because it combined his love for both acting and drumming. After graduating from theatre school, Brown began working with the Blue Man Group as a backstage crew member.
“Amazingly after six months of working on crew, an open call audition came up. I didn’t know if I wanted to do it but a couple of friends just really simply were like, ‘Why wouldn’t you try,’ and I did and fortunately it all worked out,” Brown said. “It really is truly for me a dream come true.”
While Brown has been with the group for 10 years, this is the first time he has been on tour. Brown said touring gives the group more opportunities that might not be available when performing in one city.
“There’s also a lot of larger toys and instruments that the Blue Men can have on this tour that they can’t usually do in like Boston or Chicago or New York and that’s all just due to the size of their spaces,” Brown said. “Being out here on the road definitely gives Blue Men a larger laboratory to play with things.”
The show’s concepts, instruments and technological tools are developed by Blue Man Productions, in which the founders still have a large role. The performers must then learn how to use these things and apply them to their characters.
Performers must also undergo the process of costuming, which Brown said takes about 30 minutes.
“The costume is a bald cap that we—we put glue along our hairline, like right next to the hairline, and the bald cap gets put down and trimmed by our wardrobe staff. Then you just sort of put the paint on your head,” Brown said. “It sticks around. I did the show last night and I’m sure it’s probably somewhere on my body still.”
Brown said each performance is its own original entity unlike any previous or future performances, reflecting their “live for the moment” attitude. While the show is meant to provide comedy and awe-inspiring audio and visuals, he said it also stands for much more.
“You can definitely expect just a lot of unique, fun and thoughtful commentary about the way we interact with each other socially, the way we communicate, and also just unique ways to look at the world,” Brown said. “It’s about sort of expanding yourself.”
Brown said each person can find a piece of themselves in the performance.
“It’s kind of like everybody is a Blue Man and people are just sort of afraid to let it out,” Brown said. “The Blue Men are there to let people get rid of that idea and just sort of tap into their more inner innocent, just ‘ready to throw down and dance and party’ sort of feeling they have within themselves.”
Russell Rinker and Jesse Nolan, the group’s music director will be making an appearance in Smith Music Hall’s band room at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
The Blue Man Group will perform at the Keith-Albee Theatre 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday’s performance is free to full time Marshall University students. Wednesday’s ticket prices vary based on seating.
Tickets can be purchased through the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center by picking them up at the box office or calling 304-696-3326. Tickets are also available on Ticketmaster.com.