They’ve traveled the globe, been plastered on billboards and have even appeared in TV shows like “Scrubs” and “Arrested Development.” In performances that combine music, comedy and theater, Blue Man Group has enjoyed incredible success worldwide. The Weekly talked with Blue Man Group performer Eric Cherney about what it takes to be one of the mysterious Blue Men.
TW: The performance relies so much on improv – What happens when something doesn’t go as planned?
EC: You might actually be surprised on how much isn’t improv. A lot of these stunts are written in, so something doesn’t go wrong. And the character traits of (the Blue Men)accept all things that happen. If something goes wrong, they don’t really know if it’s right or wrong. If an audience member stands up and yells something goofy, we just acknowledge it and wonder if we should address it.
TW: What has it been like performing at Briar Street Theater?
EC: It’s pretty awesome, actually. It was my first gig out of college, so it’s been this amazing journey. One thing I’m super grateful about this job is that it’s just so much fun to do. It’s this big organization and creative force that I feel honored to be a part of.
TW: How hard is it to stay silent the whole time?
EC: It’s actually not as hard as you think. There’s the solo Blue Man who makes the decisions of the whole group. So maybe they can talk, but they choose not to. But in character, I never really feel an urge to talk.
TW: Is it strange to be part of such a well-known group but not as recognizable off the stage?
EC: I would say it’s actually kind of nice. Let’s say there are three shows that day, and I come in for the second two. I get to see people leaving the first show and see their reactions and how much fun they had without me taking away from that and without them being like, “Oh my God, there’s a Blue Man.”
TW: What kind of training did you do before your first performance? The role is very physical sometimes.
EC: It’s a long training process, and it takes eight weeks to get fully hired by the company. The first two weeks, you learn the blocking of the show and the music. The third week, you focus on the character stuff, and you’re constantly going to drumming rehearsals. Then you spend three weeks doing two or three shows a week, and when you’re not on stage, you’re constantly working on your throwing and catching skills. It’s a really long, hard process, but it definitely prepares you for the show.
TW: What do you hope the audience gets out of the performances?
EC: I would just say a sense of joy and fun. It’s so much fun to watch adults react in the same way a kid would react and just lose themselves in laughter, have a good time and lose the daily grind stress that happens every day.
Blue Man Group performs at Briar Street Theater. Student rush tickets are $35.
