If you're one of the few people left who haven't been turned onto the phenomenon of Blue Man Group, the Off-Broadway, Chicago and Boston hit, turn on your TV sets tonight, Nov. 13, 11:30 (EST). NBC-TV's Tonight Show (with Jay Leno) will bring the Blue Men to your home, performing a special piece not even in the stage show.
Spokesperson Manny Igrejas says the vignette, called "Light Sabre," features the troupe using implements similar to "those flashlight/sword thingies in Star Wars."
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The Windy City officially turned blue Oct. 12. That's when Blue Man Group, the avant garde theatre trio, stationed its third resident company in Chicago, IL. These "curious, gentle beings from inner space" -- who munch Cap'n Crunch, toss marshmallows at each other, create colorful works of spit-up art, drum and play specially designed instruments -- will take over the Briar Street Theatre on North Halsted. Previews began Oct. 3.
Created by Matt Goldman, Phil Stanton and Chris Wink, the group began performing on the streets of Manhattan and then graduated to PS 122 and Dixon Place. After an unforgettable stint at 1991's Lincoln Center Serious Fun Festival and an Obie-winning run at La MaMa, the Group opened Nov. 1991 at Off-Broadway's Astor Place Theatre. After 1,500 performances, they're still going strong -- and still sending tons of paper cascading over audiences' heads. Oct. 1995 saw a second Blue Man company open in Boston, and on Jan. 25 of this year, open auditions were held for replacements and new castmembers in the three companies. (Initially, creators Wink, Goldman and Stanton did 1,000 straight performances as the trio before taking a break and selecting new cast members Chris Bowen, Jeffrey Doornbos, Andrew Miller, Randall Jaynes, Michael Dahlen, Steve White, Brian Scott, Shawn Sturnick, Kristian Thorsen, James Ludwig and Pete Simpson. Newly cast are Thamus Rounds and John Grady. It's not so easy to cast Blue Men, since they not only have to have solid acting and drumming skills but must be between 5'10 and 6' and the body type of the other cast-members.
For tickets ($39-$46) and information on Blue Man Group in Chicago call (773) 348-4000. For tickets and information on Blue Man Group in New York call (212) 254-4370.
-- By David Lefkowitz
