Painting Broadway Blue

This past weekend I had the privilege of seeing Blue Man Group in New York City at the Astor Place Theatre. My first impression was one of curiosity because of the size of the theatre on Lafayette Street. The auditorium seemed to barely fit 800 people. When I took my seat in the second row of the mezzanine, I realized that what the theatre was was not small, but intimate. Boy, was I in for such a treat.

The show began with a series of shout outs to people in the audience. We all joined in an ill-tuned speaking of “Happy Birthday” to someone named Anne, a congratulations to a Bronze-medal Olympic diver and a friendly welcome to an average man named Richard who was so conveniently sitting in the seat in front of me. I enjoyed the back of your head, Richard.

Once the house lights were lowered, excitement bubbled up inside me. A projection of a silhouetted blue man playing drums was the first glimpse of the show we got. Eventually, the projection revealed two more silhouettes and we were head first into the performance.

As the show progressed, many topics of today were made into sketches: the ever-expanding size of iPhones and tablets, the plumbing under our houses and the now technologically-obsessed youth.

My favorite aspect of the show is that it calls for audience participation. Rather than sitting through a six-hour, three-intermission opera at the Met, Blue Man Group actually makes the audience the focal point of a good majority of the show by climbing over their heads, feeding them Twinkies and painting with them. The audience is so much a part of the show that during curtain call, where normally the performers gesture towards the lighting booth, band and any other stagehand in the general area, the three blue men gestured towards the audience, not as thanks, but as recognition.

Speaking of lighting and music, both were jaw-droppers. The band was so precise and engaging that sometimes I found myself staring at the red-glow of drumsticks rather than the shenanigans onstage. The lighting was fabulous, but is not for everyone. Strobe lights and spotlights danced around the tiny theatre, making you feel like you were in disco ball.

Though these two aspects of the show were flashy and enticing, you never lost interest in the main act. The blue men that danced around stage were expressionless in the face, but were so incredible in moving their eyes and body that they captivated every corner of the auditorium and filled it with laughter.

There was never a moment that I found dull nor childish, even though the toddler in the row behind me laughed his face off the whole time. Blue Man Group is tasteful and fun for the whole family.

If ever in a situation where you can see the Blue Man Group, I highly recommend it. They have numerous locations including NYC, Boston, Los Angeles and several cruise lines. This is a show for people of all ages, shapes, sizes and colors (especially the blue-skinned)!



Katherine Griffin
NPT Youth Board Member
Trumbull High School '16