Feeling Blue in Lakeview

Blue Man Group falls somewhere between a dance party, light show, rock concert, comedy and art.

Their performance on Oct. 4 at the Briar Street Theatre was difficult to place into just one category, but it was a full two hours of energy and fun.

Blue Man Group was the brainchild of Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton, who formed the idea trying to regain childhood innocence and curiosity in a jaded world.

They sought to present the Blue Men as strange, almost alien-like creatures to the audience in the show’s first portions and then gain the audience’s empathy through human actions and personalities of the Blue Men.

Mixing music, theater, comedy, vaudeville and science together is the idea that made for a popular, lasting show.

Nearly every seat at the Briar Street Theatre was occupied, proving that over two decades since Blue Man Group’s start in 1987, interest has not declined.

Thursday’s show took a closer look at the technology that both surrounds and isolates us, and incorporated it into the typical percussive Blue Man Group performances. The show called for near constant audience participation, and it touched on themes of the information society and commercialism.

The best reflection of the show’s meaning and value, aside from entertainment, is this quote projected before the audience prior to the show’s start, from International Diplomacy for Dummies:

“When you first meet people from a foreign culture, a great way to break the ice is to offer a few gifts as a gesture of friendship,” the quote reads. “It’s always good to choose items that reflect your personal interests, and it’s even better if it’s something you have created yourself. You also need to show a genuine curiosity in their interests and their culture. But ultimately, the very best way to forge a lasting friendship is to create something together: Whether it’s a meal, an art project or just a spontaneous dance party, when you create something with others, you build a connection that lasts a lifetime.”

That connection was formed throughout the show, and a sense of unity and respect spread throughout the entire theater, reaching those who were blue and those who were not.