Who are those Blue Men entering the stage?
They do not look like anyone we know.
These strange outsiders do not speak.
What are they going to do?
Should we be afraid?
These are some of the questions people have at first encounter with the Blue Man Group, three mute, bald, blue creatures without ears.
Not to fear. They have taken the theater world by storm since they first appeared Off-Broadway in 1991. Today they are a global phenomenon with productions in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Tokyo, Berlin and Zurich.
What the Blue Men do depends upon the creativity and improvisational skills of those portraying them. The three strangers are always accompanied by musicians playing guitar, strings and percussion. Perhaps an unusual instrument, such as a zither, is tossed in for variety.
As the Blue Men enter the stage, they show great curiosity about the audience, whose members are curious in return. Occasionally, someone is frightened, most likely a small child. Others laugh to expel nervous energy. Nobody has any idea what is about to happen. Sometimes the Blue Men are equally in the dark because their surroundings and options are constantly changing..
It does not take long for the program to become extremely physical with much jumping and climbing about, for the Blue Man is a free spirit, a simple, childlike creature who plays as happily as any child plopped into a room filled with paint, balloons and multiple tempting distractions. Like as not, he makes a mess while exploring every object in his path and coming up with new ways of invention that poke fun at technology.
Along with its theater shows and rock concerts performed in more than ten countries, the Blue Man Group has produced many recording albums. Its Gold debut album, "Audio," won a Grammy nomination. It also has family-focused educational projects, including a touring Children's Museum and a non-profit charter school in New York City.
Audiences gravitate to the Blue Man because they are flattered that he is checking them out as they check him out. He is the kind of alien newcomer humanity needs today. Although the audience arrives as individuals, they all become part of this smart, intelligent show and leave as a family. There is no fourth wall to prevent them from experiencing a different culture. Even though our world has become tech savvy, the underlying theme of each Blue Man show is: How do we connect with each other?
Emily Cary is a prize-winning teacher and novelist whose articles about entertainers appear regularly in the DC Examiner. She is a genealogist, an avid traveler, and a researcher who incorporates landscapes, cultures and the power of music in her books and articles.
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