Blue Men Invade Dallas

What happens when you put a room full of people- all of varied ages, experiences, and cultural backgrounds- with a trio of hairless, painted men with no ears?  Awesomeness.  That is what I experienced this past Wednesday as the Blue Man Group took to the stage at the Winspear Opera House and converted one of Dallas’ most pristine and beautiful venues into nothing short of a big party.

In a culture that constantly cries out for us to be more serious and reserved, it is nice to escape the monotony of the sophisticated for a while and revert back to the often silly and childish things that make us happy.  Seldom has this this been more true than this past Wednesday as the 2010-2011 Lexus Broadway Series opened at Winspear Opera House.  In a theater known as much for its beauty as its fantastic (and all too often “high browed”) performances, the mute, blue hued and earless men from otherwhere put on a show that was as much concert as it was drama, and as interactive as any that I have ever seen.  Pulling people from all areas of the audience and conscripting them into the action, these talented performers set a stage that spanned far outside the reach of the proscenium and made a vast room of strangers feel like the closest of friends by the end of the evening.

Starting with the Blue Man Martini (or the Blue Mantini as I called it), all the way to the tribal beats being played upon entry, everything screamed that this show was going to be different from many of the others patrons of Winspear have come to expect.  Guests were delighted to the sounds of everyday items turned instrument and amazed as paint flew in all directions, giving both color and shape to what we so often only hear.  Everything about this performance was designed to engage as many of the senses as possible, and these men kept the audience in rapt attention for the almost two hours of the performance.  With performances continuing until September 26 (which consequently and unrelatedly is two days before my birthday), this is definitely a performance you do not want to miss out on.  A family friendly performance that leaves everyone smiling- this was a great way to start my week, and an even better start to this year’s season at Winspear.

AT&T Performing Arts Center Presents: Blue Man Group

Through September 26, 2010

Times and Tickets Vary

Winspear Opera House

2403 Flora St.

Dallas, TX 75201