Who Is The Blue Man Grup Without No Makeup

Before the 'Blue Human being Group' busts into TPAC's Jackson Hall Feb. eleven-16, we thought nosotros should take a peek behind the face up pigment and bald caps to meet what has kept the drums tuned and marshmallows flying since 1991.

Through non-exact comedy, one-of-a-kind percussion instruments and vibrant color, the 'Bluish Man Grouping' engages audiences of all ages with the universal linguistic communication of humor. They are Grammy-nominated artists who have collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Tiesto, Dave Matthews, Jill Scott and — most recently — the Killers.

The show is an absurd and wondrous blend of music, painting, science and engineering science, as the Bluish Men silently engage in a diverseness of set pieces that run the gamut from primitive and childlike to witty and sophisticated. Ever since emerging from New York Urban center every bit the brainchild of friends Chris Flash, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton, the character has been the springboard for numerous boosted ventures, including a rock tour, a museum exhibition, a 3D moving picture and a school.

So, what goes into the rhythmic ruckus that has reached over 35 million people worldwide?

'Blue Man Group' by the numbers

BLUE MAN GROUP paint drumming.

Photo credit: Lindsey Best

It takes approximately 17 crew members to run each show, depending on the venue. This includes wardrobe, props, video, sound, electrics, deck and stage management. Each calendar week the list of "consumables" includes, approximately:

60 drumheads, for the drums in the ring loft and on the stage
16 cymbals on the pulsate kit
64 drumsticks used by Blue Men and Band members
50 gallons of specially mixed paint in three vibrant colors
32 pounds of Clot-O
8 boxes of Cap'northward Crisis cereal
xl pieces of white chocolate Toblerone
385 marshmallows
44 boxes of Twinkle Lights
21 baldheaded caps
28 cakes of blue makeup specially fabricated for Bluish Human Grouping

It all begins with drums

Drums can be institute in nearly every culture since the dawn of time. Though styles may vary from Kodo drummers to djembe jam sessions to Keith Moon, all cultures seem to share the key urge to create tribal rhythms.

The Blue Men build their own drums and instruments, with most of them bring made of polyvinyl chloride – or PVC – pipes. They drum with such power and veracity that the vibrations and audio waves tin can literally shake our breast cavities, mayhap fifty-fifty rattle us into remembering where we all began.

"Drumming and rhythm is innate to all people," says Josh Matthews, Blueish Man Music Trainer for Blue Man Productions. "As a Blue Homo, you take an opportunity to tap into this key, visceral and intuitive nature inherent in your life — rhythm! Through drumming, the Blue Man taps into an ancient fashion of communication — 1 that nosotros can all chronicle to and understand. Information technology's a thriving pulse that undulates throughout the performance and hopefully resonates with both performer and audience creating a profound connection."

The audition process

If you recall it's difficult to limited the full spectrum of homo emotion without speaking a discussion — you lot'd be right.

The audience process to get a 'Blue Man' is brutal. For every one,000 actors who try out, only one will succeed.

"The audition procedure for the Blue Man ring is as unique as the Blue Human character itself," says Jeremmiah Kops, a 'Blue Man Group' string player. "There really is no way to prepare for information technology other than to show upward, be yourself and exist open up to thinking exterior of the box."

Non only must 'Blueish Men' be experienced actors and intuitive improvisational artists, but they obviously must have incredible drumming skills. Each show has approximately three 'Bluish Men' and three band members. So with there being about 75 groups full worldwide, there must be a continuous bicycle of talent coming through the arrangement.

"I take the casting process very seriously," says Associate Music Director Jeff Quay. "It can be a vulnerable process for the auditionee. I keep that in listen each fourth dimension I audience someone and try to make them equally comfy every bit possible. I'm looking for a musician who has a keen sense of awareness and who tin assimilate a wide breadth of input into their playing."

Below is a video chronicling one man's experience:

History of the 'Blue Man Group'

Everything begins with the Bluish Man, and although he's been around for more near iii decades, his founders however can't entirely explicate where he came from. Like the character himself, his origin is enigmatic.

'Blueish Man Group' originated with 3 friends fresh out of college who made a life-defining decision together. Chris Wink, Phil Stanton, and Matt Goldman determined they would achieve lives of significant and purpose, forging their ain road and following their own path.

three men in a room splattered with paint

Chris Wenk (left), Phil Stanton (middle) and Matt Goldman (right) co-founded and performed in the 'Blue Man Group' in New York City in 1991.

When their creative impulses led them to develop a bald and blue character they called 'Blue Homo' (to evoke the word human being), more than a few people raised eyebrows. Undeterred, the partners invested their time and resources into following this curious character into a small theatre in New York Urban center. What transpired was a ground-breaking performance that moved and inspired audiences. This unprecedented theatrical success led to ongoing accolades, awards and genre-jumping opportunities. Blue Man Productions is now a global entertainment company best known for the award-winning 'Blue Man Grouping' show, performed in over twenty countries and seen by more than 35 meg people worldwide since 1991. A dynamic combination of art, music, comedy and technology, the show's euphoric celebration of human connection has universal appeal for a broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds. The bear witness is continually refreshed with new music, fresh stories, custom instruments and state-of-the-art engineering science. 'Bluish Human being Grouping' has permanent theatrical productions in New York, Las Vegas, Boston, Chicago, Orlando, Berlin and a Globe Bout.

This creative collective has become function of the pop culture zeitgeist. 'Blue Man Group' has served equally the face of branding campaigns for Intel and TIM/Brasil and appeared endless times on hit shows like The This night Testify, Arrested Development, Ellen, Schlag den Raab (Federal republic of germany), WOWOW (Japan), and Caldeirão do Huck (Brasil). Across the stage evidence, they are Grammy-nominated recording artists, known for their contributions to various flick and Goggle box scores and multiple 'Blue Human Group' albums, including their most contempo, Iii. Their 'Megastar World Bout' rock concert parody played arenas across the globe. The grouping's recently published starting time-ever book, Blue Man Globe, is a visually stunning anthropological exploration of the curious bald and blueish grapheme.

Yet artist-owned-and-operated and based in New York City, Blue Homo Productions has extensive production facilities, a training centre, recording studios and a 6,000 square human foot Research & Evolution Lab with numerous new artistic projects in the pipeline.

If you're feeling bluish, get your tickets for the 'Bluish Man Group,' coming to TPAC's Jackson Hall Feb. 11-16. For more information, call 615-782-4040 or visit TPAC.org.

In the meantime, maybe this clip of a "drumbone," an musical instrument created by the 'Blue Homo Grouping,' will necktie you over until adjacent February.