Blue Man Group. Photo Credit: Krissie Fullerton.

In a world where staying connected equals text messaging, Facebook, and e-mails, we often forget face-to-face communication. Blue Man Group, an electrifying off-Broadway production, delves into the world of communication in its own special way: without spoken words. A unique interactive experience, Blue Man Group is part concert, part comedy-act, and part art exhibition.

I was introduced to this show by a PBS special a few years ago that featured three men of similar physique, dressed in black clothing, and glossy blue from head to toe.  I was enthralled by their peculiarity and had to see the show. Who’d guess that I would get a chance to experience the magic firsthand?!

Blue Man Group has made its home at the humble Astor Place Theater in downtown Manhattan. This small theater is not your flashy Broadway show: no colorful lights or huge billboards. The auditorium could easily be mistaken for a basement warehouse for the walls are completely lined with pipes. The seating is cramped, so be prepared to get intimate with your neighbor!

As I waited, a flicker banner on stage announced famous guests (at my performance, we had an Olympic athlete and a DNA scientist) and led the audience in congratulating them for their contributions. The banner also announced a birthday, directing us to speak the words to “Happy Birthday.” This helped to lighten the atmosphere, tossing traditional theatre etiquette out the window, and prepared the audience for the interactive show.

As the lights dimmed, I could barely stay in my seat as I cheered eagerly!  The show centers around three charismatic men, foreigners in our world. Wide-eyed, they explore Earth through art and music. They create art by catching marshmallows, splattering paint with drums, and spitting paint. If you’re lucky, you might get to take a masterpiece home! This is all done to a background of interesting music, created using everyday objects.  My favorite act is their pipe piano, which they played by hitting the tops of PVC pipes.  Another act includes a large touch phone, which the Blue Men use to learn about our virtual world of communication. To interact with the audience, the men rely solely on their actions. The Blue Men usually move in unison. However, sometimes one man suddenly behaves differently. The show pauses abruptly as dumbfounded looks are exchange between his companions. In the awkward silence, the audience can’t help but laugh.

The beauty of this show is that no matter where you sit, you’ll feel as if you’re emerged in the experience. The Blue Men jump into the audience, climb to the mezzanine, and encourage viewers to join them. At the end, they lead the crowd in toilet papering the whole theater!

Blue Man Group brings our world closer together. It doesn’t take long for you to feel as if you’re watching a concert with a hundred new friends. And that’s really what the Blue Men’s message is: while our technology provides us with fast connections, communication is more about the experience.