Blue Man Group Launches Theatrical Tour in Dallas

Blue Man Group combines the energy of a rock concert with high tech visuals, expert musicianship and plenty of humor. The action focuses on a trio known collectively as the Blue Man character. The three main performers wear glistening blue face paint and loose-fitting black clothes. You really can’t tell one Blue Man from the other, nor should you bother. The show is more about their interaction together than their personalities as individuals. Much of the humor arises from moments when one of the three performers acts differently from the rest, thereby creating a little rift in the group dynamics.

The show is heavy on percussion, and each Blue Man is an expert drummer. The back up musicians are tight and energetic, and the visuals are top-notch. Add to this a heavy dose of playfulness, and it feels as though the audience is being taken on a shamanic journey led by Sesame Street characters.

There is something intelligent, naive and endearing about the Blue Man character, although he never speaks a word, and maintains an eerie deadpan expression at all times. The trio frequently roves the audience. At one point, a Blue Man made eye contact with me as he wandered down the aisle. It was unnerving, reminding me of how a wild animal can look at you with seemingly empty eyes, yet you know that they are in a state of heightened alertness, and aware of you, yet you have no idea what they might do next – pounce?

For all its energy and apparent spontaneity, the Blue Man Group show is carefully thought out, and courteous to the audience. For instance, plastic raingear is provided for those sitting in the first two rows, in case any of the messy stuff on stage spills over, and while the music is loud, it is expertly mixed so that while you can feel the bass pounding in your chest, there are no frequencies left to hurt your ears.

Longtime friends, Matt Goldman, Chris Wink, and Phil Stanton created Blue Man Group in the 1980′s, and the concept has been evolving ever since. What started as guerilla street theater in New York City has grown into a major enterprise. Blue Man Group now has full-time talent scouts scouring theater festivals and college campuses for more musicians and Blue Man candidates, a show in Las Vegas, a Grammy nomination, and now this – their first theatrical tour, which kicked off this week in Dallas.

To be a Blue Man one must possess certain characteristics, which include a height range of 5’10″-6’1, acting talent, percussion skills, and the ability to catch food in one’s mouth. It’s an unusual skill set, to be sure, but over the years, there has even been a female Blue Man.

Blue Man Group makes a great family outting, and is fun for young and old. Kids will enjoy the slapstick and high-tech visuals. Adults can enjoy that too, plus the more sophisticated humor and the added layer of social commentary. Music lovers, and especially drummers, will be inspired by the energy and skill of the performers. That said, the pounding bass and strobe lights may be too much for certain people. Also, take into consideration that the show runs nearly 2 hours and has no intermission. If you think your child is too young for a rock concert, get a babysitter this time around, and take some friends instead.

I didn’t know quite what to expect when I saw Blue Man Group earlier this week at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas. Those I knew who had seen them before couldn’t explain the experience, aside from assuring me that it would be fun. After seeing the show, I now understand why a Blue Man Group performance is not always easy to describe: the show is more than simply what happens on stage; like any good performance art, part of the experience is what you feel while in the audience. Which is why, when you try to explain Blue Man Group, you wind up using too many, “you had to be there,” qualifiers to do it justice.

What I liked best about Blue Man Group is how it takes all pretension out of performance art, which can often be snooty and elitist. Blue Man Group, on the other hand, reaches out to the audience (quite literally, at times!) and is never condescending, even when poking fun at our cultural norms. Blue Man Group’s finale had the entire audience on its feet, and even after the encore, people seemed reluctant to leave their seats. I felt like we were all 8-years-old again and did not want the party to end.

Blue Man Group’s theatrical tour makes a powerful blast-off for the 2010 – 2011 Lexus Broadway Series at the Winspear Opera House. For more information, see below.

What: Blue Man Group
When: 8:00 p.m. through September 26, 2010
Where: Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201 (map)
Price: $25 to $150
More information: Visit the AT&T Performing Arts Center website.

NOTE: While tickets were provided to me for review purposes, the opinions expressed in this article are wholly my own.

Photo credit: Courtesy of AT&T Performing Arts Center