ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
May 14, 2008
What's Behind All That Blue?
TFK Kid Reporter Samantha Stokes talks to a member of Blue Man Group
 |  JOHN KASKO The Blue Men play unique instruments made from plastic pipes, flexible poles and other unusual objects. |
The audience cheered loudly as three men covered in blue paint took the stage. They pounded on pipes, caught gumballs and marshmallows in their mouths and involved the audience in their antics. The show, part of Blue Man Group's How to Be a Megastar Tour 2.1, was held on April 30th at Central Pennsylvania's Bryce Jordan Center.
Three friends formed the Blue Man Group in the 1980s. They performed in a show that included music, comedy, thrills and spills. Since then, the group has grown-kind of. Though they still appear in groups of three, Blue Men perform in ongoing shows in New York City, Boston and Orlando. They also go on tour. TFK Kid Reporter Samantha Stokes saw their show in Pennsylvania. She went backstage to meet the Blue Men and later interviewed one Blue Man by phone.
TFK:
Why is Blue Man Group blue?
Blue Man:
Because it is an "open color," and isn't really linked to any particular thoughts.
TFK:
How long does it take to become blue?
Blue Man: It takes about one hour to become blue, including putting our costumes on and other preparations.
TFK:
Why don't you speak during your performances?
Blue Man:
When we don't speak, the message is more personal. Plus, we can perform to people in different cultures who speak different languages.
TFK:
Did you study music in school? If so, what instruments?
Blue Man:
When I was in seventh grade, my parents asked me if I wanted to take drum lessons outside of school, and I said yes. I fell in love with it.
TFK:
How do you choose your instruments?
Blue Man:
We like to play things that most people think of as trash. We always play the (pvc) pipes, which makes them useful again. We then use a mallet to hit piano strings and use it as a percussion instrument.
TFK:
What are your rehearsals like?
Blue Man:
Anything but typical! Once, I was asked to play a beat on a drum. While doing so, the director asked me about my family. He started throwing things at me, and told me to pretend to be a spider who wants to be a pretty butterfly. Also, someone might come to rehearsal wearing a ridiculous costume. We do this so we are prepared for the unexpected while performing.
TFK:
What is a typical day in the life of a Blue Man?
Blue Man:
There is a lot of travel. First, we do our show. Afterward, we clean up, eat and get on a bus to travel to the next city. We get up, check into our hotel and go back to sleep. Then we eat, check out the city, maybe go shopping or call our families, and go to the place where we'll be performing. After that we eat, get ready for the show and the cycle starts over again.
TFK:
How do you get revved up for your performances?
Blue Man:
Since the show is a comedy, we laugh a lot. Once, when we were out to dinner, (a group member showed up) wearing a wig and was covered in masking tape. We joke around a lot.
TFK:
What do you most enjoy about the performances?
Blue Man:
The interaction with the audience is my favorite part. All of the cities have different vibes.
TFK:
When you were a child, did you ever think that you would become a Blue Man?
Blue Man:
No, because I was always very shy. I was really into science, and I never performed as a child.
TFK:
How do you hope to influence children who come to your shows?
Blue Man:
I hope that they will always express themselves and open themselves up to others. I want the audience to know that they can play, make art and do something that is important to them.
TFK:
What kind of charity work do you do?
Blue Man:
After our New York shows, we have a big drum where people can donate money to charity. Also, we appeared on Oprah's Big Give. We give instruments to schools across the nation, as well as donating money to music programs.
