10 Remarkable Things About The Blue Man Group Chicago

Bill and I recently attended a Blue Man Group Chicago show.  It was one of the few times in my life that I wished we had brought the kids. They would have loved the show!  I didn’t know what to expect, and The Blue Men did not disappoint.  I have not laughed that hard in a very long time!  This show is so worth going to, and no 2 shows are exactly alike. Because of this, next time we are going to take the kids!  I was even lucky enough to interview the stage manager, a band member, and one of the blue men!

Here are a few things I learned:

1. Approximately 17 crew members run the show, which includes wardrobe, props, video, sound, electrics, deck, and also stage management.
2. Each week, the show uses 60 drum heads, including both the band loft and the stage. It also uses 16 cymbals with the drum kit and 64 drumsticks. In addition, the builders use 550 feet of piping to make the PVC-tubed instruments. The show consumes 50 gallons of paint, 32 pounds of Jell-O, and 8 boxes of Cap’n Crunch cereal. They use 40 pieces of white chocolate Toblerone, 385 marshmallows, and 444 mashed-up bananas. 30 pounds of waste are composted per week. Furthermore, the show uses 44 boxes of Twinkie Lights, 28 cakes of specially made blue makeup for Blue Man Group, and 21 bald caps. All of this adds up to 75 loads of laundry every week!
3. The Blue Man Group currently has ongoing theatrical productions in Las Vegas, Orlando, Boston, Chicago, New York and Berlin. There is also a North/South American Tour.
4. Blue Man Group has released five albums.  Their debut album, Audio, went gold and earned a Grammy nomination. The group has also contributed to various film scores and performed with prestigious orchestras and philharmonics around the country.
5. The founders of Blue Man Group created an independent school in New York City called Blue School in 2006 (blueschool.org). The school is designed to reimagine a more complete, balanced, and exuberant approach to education.  It currently enrolls nearly 300 children, pre-school through 6th grade. In fact, a middle school expansion will continue through 7th and 8th grade by 2017.
6. Blue Man Group holds auditions throughout the year, nationally and abroad, seeking individuals with the unique qualities to be a Blue Man. These qualities include excellent acting and drumming/musical skills (casting.blueman.com).  Currently, there are approximately 75 Blue Men worldwide.
7. The critically hailed Blue Man Group and world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization, Autism Speaks, have teamed up to announce a collaborative Blue Man Group performance Sunday, October 4 at 4 p.m. In addition, slight modifications will be made to the performance at the Briar Street Theatre (3133 N. Halsted). These changes are in order to better accommodate individuals with autism.
8. At any performance, you can request headphones. This is great for kids with sensory issues or who just don’t like loud noises!
9. Blue Man Group worked closely with the Boston Children’s Museum to develop a widely acclaimed national touring exhibit about sound called “Making Waves”.
10. Blue Man Group (blueman.com) is an award-winning global entertainment company best known for its creative stage productions. Three close friends – Chris Wink, Phil Stanton, and Matt Goldman – developed it together on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Its first formal production was in 1991 at the Astor Place Theatre.

Lastly, did any of this surprise you?