Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Spectacular, Clever, Mesmerizing...and Blue

There is absolutely nothing about Blue Man Group that is going to make you blue. Unless of course they pull you from the audience, escort you up on stage, paint you BLUE, lift you by your feet and smash you into a canvas. But then you'll have a magnificent story to tell your grandkids and a keepsake painting!

I went to Opening Night last night and I could write a book about this show, there's so much going on—including someone being smashed into a canvas—every bit of it fun! And that it's at The Fox Theatre makes it even more special. There are several more performances through Sunday, April 12, 2015, but get your tickets fast...I would not be the least bit surprised if this show sells out on any given day!


Blue Man Group | National Tour (Photo: Paul Kolnik)
Blue Man Group | National Tour (Photo: Paul Kolnik)

The grand finale, which wasn't the final number, was the most spectacular concert experience I've ever experienced! The immediately preceding ongoing countdown was a lesson in concert moves, which culminated in every single person in the audience, from nine years old to 90 years old, standing and shaking their...

Well, let's just say that Blue Man Group offered more descriptions than any of us have ever fathomed of...well, never mind, "butt" everyone was out of their seats shaking and moving and dancing and clapping and gazing in awe and wonderment at the sensory overload before them AND enthusiastically bouncing around the theatre illuminated spheres—I think there are 10—each bigger than a human, that double as a scintillating rainbow light show!


Blue Man Group | National Tour (Photo: Paul Kolnik)
Blue Man Group | National Tour (Photo: Paul Kolnik)

No, no, no...that's not the Flying Spaghetti Monster. It was actually, first and foremost, one of the most awesome science lessons I've ever seen on how the human eye works! Blue Man Group explained that the human eye sees everything upside down, but the brain turns it upside right, and then went into describing the role of rods and cones. 

The best part, aside from the phenomenal drumming and accompanying video and lights, were the two Blue Men in the "retina capsules"—functioning percussion pods—which contributed to the musical score and the dynamic light show!

Of note, there is no intermission during this show, but I don't think you're going to mind that one bit. You're so engaged and attentive and laughing so hard, you'll barely notice any passage of time, but you will notice a lot of nuance, as well as intent. In fact, and this is easy to do for this show, you'll want to pay close attention, truly immerse yourself, to ensure you don't miss the more subtle humor.   


Blue Man Group | National Tour (Photo: Blue Man Group)
Blue Man Group | National Tour (Photo: Blue Man Group)

Back to the beginning...the show launched with a magnificent display of what can be done with ketchup, an infinite stream of mustard, a couple of drums and welding helmets

Okay, that's not exactly what happened, but this performance takes the imagination on an odyssey that will want you seeing Blue Men all the time. And lots and lots of mustard.

One of the brilliant aspects of this show is that it's equally fun for kids and adults. It's comparable to any well done animated film...a film that's wonderfully entertaining for kids, but written such that grownups discern adult humor that flies right over the heads of ages it wasn't intended to resonate with.

To further enhance your theatre-going experience, I encourage you to read the Julie Bookman article in your Encore Atlanta program. She interviews a 700-Blue Man Group performance veteran who saw his first Blue Man Group live performance at 12 years old. If you've misplaced your program, you can read the current online issue here.


Blue Man Group | National Tour (Photo: Blue Man Group)
Blue Man Group | National Tour (Photo: Blue Man Group)

There were two times during the performance that members of Blue Man Group brought a randomly selected member of the audience to the stage to become part of the show. It was during the Twinkie sequence that I laughed so hard I was crying! I haven't laughed that hard in I don't know how long! And I can't imagine anyone not laughing hysterically when they see what happens to the lady in the Andrew Wyeth painting Christina's World. It's not mean, I promise.

The Cap'n Crunch sequence is hilarious, too! I don't know what it is about blue men and food, but what a priceless recipe! And the first time you see Cap'n Crunch isn't the last time...keep your eyes open!

Student Rush Ticket Deal: Are you in college or know someone who is and is in Atlanta right now? Here’s the deal...
  • Only $25 per ticket!
  • Must present valid student ID
  • Limit two tickets per ID
  • Cash only
  • Available at the Box Office only
  • Available only two hours prior to performances
  • Subject to availability
That’s a pretty sweet deal, don't you think! I'd check the Fox's Facebook page for any updates or announcements concerning this deal, but if you can swing it, you're in for an awesome experience!


Blue Man Group | National Tour (Photo: Paul Kolnik)
Blue Man Group | National Tour (Photo: Paul Kolnik)

I would never encourage a child, kid, teenager, let alone an adult, to roll a neighbors yard...or any property for that matter. Toilet paper bolting from the stage was one of the many elements of the grand finale I mentioned earlier. The energy during this part of the show was off the charts, as was the amount of tissue flying into the auditorium! Don't do this at home, kids!

There's so much more to say about how incredibly amazing this show is, but I'll leave it to you to go experience it for yourselves. In the meantime...

I'd like to offer a huge wanderlust ATLANTA "Thank you" to Broadway in Atlanta and BRAVE Public Relations for the tickets and for the photos in this post. Anyone who has followed me even for a short while knows that I'm an avid shutterbug, so on the rare occasion that I get to enjoy a performance or tourist outing without the duty  to capture it in images (which I would trade for nothing) is a wonderful treat. I totally enjoyed spending the evening mesmerized! 

Looking ahead, I am so excited about the shows in the 2015-2016 Broadway in Atlanta season. Just to name a few: Jersey Boys, The Wizard of Oz, The Book of Mormon, The Sound of Music and Kinky Boots

But for now, Blue Man Group is at The Fox Theatre through Sunday, April 12, 2015, so get your tickets and be prepared for awe, wonderment and lots of laughter!

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