Before the start of the Blue Man Group show, they announce celebrities in the audience.
An Olympic gold medalist was identified first.
The audience was asked to congratulate Trudy for her win in curling at the Vancouver Olympics.
The crowd read from a LED screen in unison.
I was surprised to see that the next celebrity introduced was Ronald Strand.
I was asked to stand and wave to the crowd, which I did to thunderous applause.
Seated in the poncho section in the front rows, I felt a bit conspicuous turning to face the 1000 or so people behind me while wearing the plastic covering provided to protect the audience near the stage from splashing paint.
I sat down and then read on the LED that I had just completed mapping the human genome.
The audience was asked to thank me for this accomplishment, which they did in unison and then applauded again as I stood for a final wave.
The audience warm-up continued with the flashed announcement that someone with a name I don't recall was in the audience and that he was an average guy.
This quirky comedy that involved the audience is a trademark of the Blue Man Group.
Part percussion, part illusion, part acrobatics, part comedy, the Blue Man Group show moves seamlessly from loud rock and roll acrobatic percussion to quiet, weird and subtle comedy skits.
People from the audience are chosen to join in the madness.
A finale includes the unravelling of long strips of paper from the back of the theatre, passed hand over hand from person to person to the front of the theatre.
It is an ingenious, simple way to create an effect of a ripple of water flowing over everyone.
This effect somehow tied in with their science, plumbing, whole earth sort of theme.
Paint poured on drums and splashed with enthusiasm adds a stunning visual effect to the music.
But the paint didn't reach us so the ponchos were not necessary after all.
I wasn't asked for my autograph on the way out, so I doubt if anyone believed I completed the mapping of the human genome.
But it all worked to make the audience more than spectators.
We were enthusiastic participants in a different way of looking at the world and reacting to it.
For a couple of hours, a group of total strangers laughed together, sharing an experience of creative genius that none of us are likely to forget.
Everyone likes someone, in this case three of them, who succeed at being different.
An Olympic gold medalist was identified first.
The audience was asked to congratulate Trudy for her win in curling at the Vancouver Olympics.
The crowd read from a LED screen in unison.
I was surprised to see that the next celebrity introduced was Ronald Strand.
I was asked to stand and wave to the crowd, which I did to thunderous applause.
Seated in the poncho section in the front rows, I felt a bit conspicuous turning to face the 1000 or so people behind me while wearing the plastic covering provided to protect the audience near the stage from splashing paint.
I sat down and then read on the LED that I had just completed mapping the human genome.
The audience was asked to thank me for this accomplishment, which they did in unison and then applauded again as I stood for a final wave.
The audience warm-up continued with the flashed announcement that someone with a name I don't recall was in the audience and that he was an average guy.
This quirky comedy that involved the audience is a trademark of the Blue Man Group.
Part percussion, part illusion, part acrobatics, part comedy, the Blue Man Group show moves seamlessly from loud rock and roll acrobatic percussion to quiet, weird and subtle comedy skits.
People from the audience are chosen to join in the madness.
A finale includes the unravelling of long strips of paper from the back of the theatre, passed hand over hand from person to person to the front of the theatre.
It is an ingenious, simple way to create an effect of a ripple of water flowing over everyone.
This effect somehow tied in with their science, plumbing, whole earth sort of theme.
Paint poured on drums and splashed with enthusiasm adds a stunning visual effect to the music.
But the paint didn't reach us so the ponchos were not necessary after all.
I wasn't asked for my autograph on the way out, so I doubt if anyone believed I completed the mapping of the human genome.
But it all worked to make the audience more than spectators.
We were enthusiastic participants in a different way of looking at the world and reacting to it.
For a couple of hours, a group of total strangers laughed together, sharing an experience of creative genius that none of us are likely to forget.
Everyone likes someone, in this case three of them, who succeed at being different.