ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar
Back In Blue:
Chicago's Favorite Indigo Entertainers
Return to Open Run at
Briar Street Theatre
GUEST REVIEW:
By Dugan Kenaz-Mara
The Blue Man Group is back and it’s as wonderful as ever! After 15 or so months off from performing, The Blue Man Group has brought all of their loveable antics back to Briar Street Theater and has reignited the joy of seeing live theater. And they do it all safely too! Everyone was required to wear a mask and any audience member drawn onto the stage was given a face shield before interacting with the Blue Men.
Photo by D. Kenaz-Mara
Before the show even starts you get a fun experience! From the moment you enter the lobby, you might notice classical paintings lining the walls with a little extra blue thrown in. From there you’ll pass a giant blue face perfect for photo ops, before entering the actual theater bathed in blue light. Then the pre-show looping text helps set the chaotic funny mood for the upcoming show. How many twinkies does a Blue Man eat in his life? What bout the amount of toilet paper used in a day in the US? These questions and more are answered (sarcastically) before the show even starts.
Photo by D. Kenaz-Mara
When the show begins, the audience is bombarded with spectacle after spectacle. From paint drums to musical pipes to Cap'n Crunch, there’s never a dull moment. I especially loved the design elements that went into making the show. The lighting design brought tons of colors to the black stage and out into the audience, the instruments and props were all super creative takes on normal items, and the set was able to change in an instant using their multitude of screens. In addition to that, all of the actors were fabulous too. The Blue Men were able to effortlessly connect to the audience without using words. From subtle gestures to knowingly blank stares, the Blue Men really tapped into human emotion which the viewers were able to recognize easily. They even brought that energy into their props, breathing life into instrumental pipes and controlling people using their signal light wands.
One of their specialties is keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. When watching the show you never know when you specifically might be singled out. The pre-show announcements called out specific audience members, and the show stopped to call attention to people arriving late. There were also many points in the show where the Blue Men would venture out into the audience (sometimes via the aisles and sometimes climbing right over people’s heads) to pick an audience member to go on stage and help in the performance. But if you don’t get singled out you’ll still have the chance to participate. There are many moments scattered throughout the show where audience members will get to stand up, dance, scream out, and catch things thrown from the stage.
Photo by D. Kenaz-Mara
In the end, watching Blue Man Group was an exhilarating show and I would recommend it to anyone who loves to have fun and wants to have the experience of a lifetime.
Dugan Kenaz-Mara is an actor, designer, and photographer studying theatre and psychology at Northwestern University. Contrary to popular belief, he is not a time traveler.
Blue Man Group Chicago. Photo credit Caroline Talbot Photography
Theatrical phenomenon Blue Man Group has made its long-awaited return to Chicago’s Briar Street Theatre! A dynamic combination of art, music, comedy and technology, Blue Man Group encourages audiences to reconnect with their inner (and outer) child in order to see the world through a new perspective.
“For more than 20 years, Blue Man Group has established itself as one of the top entertainment destinations in Chicago,” said Mary Grisolano, Managing Director of Blue Man Group. “We are absolutely thrilled to return to the stage and welcome new and returning audiences to the Briar Street Theatre.”
Blue Man Group originally debuted at the Briar Street Theatre in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood in 1997. Three bald and blue men explore today’s cultural norms with wonder, poking fun at the audience’s collective quirks and reminding them how much they all have in common. The show is continually refreshed with new music, stories, custom instruments and state-of-the-art technology.
Blue Man Group Ticket Information
Blue Man Group Chicago ticket prices range from $49 – $89. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.blueman.com. A full show schedule and pricing can also be found at www.blueman.com.
Special rates are available for groups of 10 or more, varying from $57 – $70 per person. For groups of 10 or more, email chicagogroups@blueman.com to request information.
2021 Performance Schedule:
August
Thursday, August 26 at 8 p.m.
Friday, August 27 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 28 at 5 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, August 29 at 2 and 5 p.m.
September
Wednesday, September 1 at 8 p.m.
Thursday, September 2 at 8 p.m.
Friday, September 3 at 5 and 8 p.m.
Saturday, September 4 at 5 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, September 5 at 5 and 8 p.m.
Wednesday, September 8 at 8 p.m.
Thursday, September 9 at 8 p.m.
Friday, September 10 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, September 11 at 5 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, September 12 at 2 p.m.
Wednesday, September 15 at 8 p.m.
Thursday, September 16 at 8 p.m.
Friday, September 17 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, September 18 at 5 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, September 19 at 2 p.m.
Wednesday, September 22 at 8 p.m.
Thursday, September 23 at 8 p.m.
Friday, September 24 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, September 25 at 5 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, September 26 at 2 p.m.
Wednesday, September 29 at 8 p.m.
Thursday, September 30 at 8 p.m.
October
Friday, October 1 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, October 2 at 5 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, October 3 at 2 p.m.
Additional fall and holiday performances will be announced at a later date.
About Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group is a global entertainment phenomenon, known for its award-winning theatrical productions, iconic characters and multiple creative explorations. Blue Man Group performances are euphoric celebrations of human connection through art, music, comedy and non-verbal communication. Since debuting at New York’s Astor Place Theatre in 1991, the live show has expanded to additional domestic residencies in Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas, an international residency in Berlin, and multiple North American and World tours, reaching more than 35 million people worldwide. Blue Man Group is universally appealing to a broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds, and continually injected with new music, fresh stories, custom instruments and sensory stimulating graphics. Blue Man Group is owned and operated by Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. For more information, please visit www.blueman.com.
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