Without the iconic blue face makeup, members of the Blue Man Group spoke to Sacramento State students about their experiences of stage performance Friday afternoon in the University Theater.

 

Blue Man Group is a critically acclaimed show that puts on hysterical and inventive theatrical performances with no spoken language.

 

Members Mike Brown, Ben Forster, Brian Tavener and Jesse Nolan explained the auditioning process, the performance and creativity aspect behind the nationally known group.

 

“When you see the performance the audience is attracted to the character,” Nolan said. “The concept of the material of the show is centered around the character of each Blue Man [and] how that character learns and interacts with the world within the performance.”

 

According to Brown, the Blue Man Group began to gain attention in 1991, beginning in New York and expanding studios in Boston, Orlando, Chicago and Las Vegas.

 

Nolan, who is the drumming director for Blue Man Group, said the shows consist of many aspects of art such as music, acting and dancing.

 

“It has allowed me to combine everything in my life that I am passionate about,” Nolan said. “It’s put into one thing and it takes over as we’re on stage.”

 

There are 60 members in the Blue Man Group who are taught a variety of skits by a creative team in New York City. The members are then divided into groups to rehearse and perform across the nation and globe.

 

Humanities major Ignacio Lopez said he was intrigued by the lecture.

 

“It was insightful to learn how they approach each of their Blue Man characters [and] understanding how their character takes over while performing on stage.” Lopez said.

 

Forster said there is always new content to keep the performances fresh.

 

“We are own ambassadors, as we have a say how it goes even if a moment is a particular scripted part,” Forster said.

 

Theatre major Dechelle Conway found many of the groups’ words to be helpful for her future endeavors.

 

“As a theatre major, we stress the importance of auditions,” Conway said. “Seeing their mindset and saying, ‘Just go for it, just be yourself,’ was helpful to gain some insight in what to expect when it comes to auditioning.”

 

Brown pointed out times in their performances when it was all about creativity.

 

“When those moments do happen, there is this creation of emotion,” Brown said. “It’s almost what words cannot describe but it is love, interest and curiosity. It is purely the magic that we create and that we all experience during the show.”