Blue Man Group coming to Costa Mesa

Expect a famous explosion of sound and spectacle from the painted men who never speak on stage when the Blue Man Group's North American theatrical tour rocks the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa on Nov. 8 to 20.

Best known for its three distinctive blue and bald characters, a live band, as well as multimedia concert and theatrical performances, Blue Man Group is credited with revolutionizing live performance by blending music, comedy and multimedia theatrics in a trademark party atmosphere.

"Until now, we have never mounted a touring version of our theatrical production," said Blue Man Group co-founder Philip Stanton in a press release. "The main reason for this is we needed to find a way to transform theaters of all shapes and sizes into spaces in which the Blue Man can intimately connect with the audience, where the audience can become engaged with the spirit of the show and of the Blue Man himself.

"We think we have finally figured it out, and an audience member in a theater that seats 4,500 people or so will now be able to enjoy the same intimate experience that might be had in one of our smaller theaters. Our goal with this production, as with all of our productions, is to help audience members reconnect with their own sense of discovery, with their own sense of what is possible in their lives."

The North American tour will showcase classic Blue Man moments, in addition to fresh content and a new physical design. Featured in the upcoming production is a proscenium-sized LED curtain and high-resolution screen aimed at enhancing the visual experience for audiences.

From its beginnings in Las Vegas, the troupe has cropped up in television, film and parodies. The Blue Men have taken their azure act to "The Tonight Show," "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "Live! with Regis and Kelly," and inspired memorable storylines on "Scrubs" and "Arrested Development."

Aside from the commercial appeal and eye-catching spectacles, audiences continue to be drawn to the ambiguous Blue Man with an undeniable curiosity for the unknown.

"I think part of the appeal is the fact that we never speak throughout the show," said Kirk Massey, who has been a Blue Man since 2005, in an interview. "People tend to write their own stories, and in a lot of the pieces that we have, it's almost like they see the action, but then we have a word bubble over our heads.

"You get to put in what you want, depending on what your background is, where you come from. You kind of write in what you want."

Currently, the Blue Man Group theatrical shows can be seen around the world, including New York, Boston, Las Vegas, Stockholm, Vienna and Tokyo.

"We've been overwhelmed with the response that we're getting," Massey said of the North American tour. "It's going extremely well. The energetic crowds have been amazing."

Blue Man Group tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Sunday. Single tickets will start at $20.

Tickets can be bought online at scfta.org, by phone at (714) 556-2787 or at the box office at 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa.

Group ticket discounts are available via the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236.

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