When I moved to New York City in 1995, a former classmate of mine enthusiastically recommended I go see a then-relatively new off-Broadway attraction made up of three bug-eyed, blue-faced, bald men. And each time I’d pass by the Astor Place Theatre, I could hear my friend’s voice exclaiming in my head: “You gotta see “Blue Man Group!”

And yet, somehow, twenty years later I still hadn’t heeded his advice… Until now.

I will admit, I’ve never been much a fan of in-your-face, audience-participation-required theater. For me, the typical theater-going experience consists of sitting in the dark, observing the goings-on onstage, with me in my world and the actors in their own. Going into the Fisher last night, I didn’t totally know what I was getting myself into. But I had a feeling, tipped off by the smoky haze filling the theater lobby, that I wasn’t going to remain in my comfort zone for long.

In no way, shape, or form is “Blue Man Group” a typical night out at the ‘Theater.’ If you do not enjoy being surrounded by an audience filled with middle-aged men whistling at the top of their lungs like they’re at a sporting event, or being instructed via video screen to sing “Happy Birthday” en masse to another audience member before the show begins, or if you fear the possibility of being dragged onstage and being forced to participate in the performance, then do not go and see this show.

However, if what you enjoy is a live, communal experience led by three bug-eyed, blue-faced, bald men, accompanied by the pounding, percussive drum beat of a live four-man band, then Blue Man Group is the place you’ll want to be.

Sure, it’s a lot of fun, especially for families with children who made up a majority of the audience on opening night. What kid wouldn’t get a kick out of watching a bug-eyed, blue-faced, bald man catch two dozen marshmallows in his mouth after they were thrown at him across the stage–each one punctuated with a percussive “pop” as he caught them? Or seeing another of the bug-eyed- blue-faced, bald men spew paint across a canvas to create a masterpiece of artwork? Or staring with disbelief at what the first bug-eyed, blue-faced, bald man dares to do with the two-dozen marshmallows he caught, once he finally spits them out?

But what impressed me most about “Blue Man Group” stemmed from a quote projected onscreen above the stage prior to the performance, stating: “when you create with others, you build a connection that lasts a lifetime.” As much as I may not have enjoyed being forced out of my comfort zone by this atypical theater-going experience, I can honestly say that by the time the gigantic rubber balls were being bandied about the audience and the streams of toilet tissue were flying, I was totally caught up in the Blue Man (derived from “human”) experience.

This is, in fact, the theme of the show: the human experience, perhaps best played out in one particular scene involving life-sized, LED-lighted cell phones on which is projected a texted conversation where one party expresses their amazement at another party’s wanting to have an actual face-to-face conversation as opposed to simply texting back and forth.

As much as we might enjoy sitting in the dark, observing the goings-on onstage, with us in our world and the actors in their own, isn’t this the reason why we go to the theater? To experience a shared, human experience! For without those others sitting there with us in the dark–whistling sports fans, birthday boys, and all–there would be no Blue Man human experience.

Part mime, part magic show, part light spectacle, “Blue Man Group” is a must-see for audiences of all ages… Just be sure to check your fear of human interaction at the door.

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