REVIEW: 25 Years of Blue Man Group!

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List photo credit Bonnie Kenaz-Mara unless listed otherwise Blue Man Group 25th Anniversary  By Guest Critic Catherine Hellmann The last time I saw Blue Man Group, I was pregnant with my son. He is now a second-year teacher. So, it’s been awhile. Incredible how this unusual and hard-to-define show has endured and thrived and became a global phenomenon with franchises in ther cities. It’s cool that it started here in Chicago.  My theater friend advises that one approach the Blue Men concept as if they are aliens to our planet, or English-Language Learners who have been dropped into a foreign culture. There is an innocence about them which is a huge key to their charm. They look bewildered at simple things, like a toddler making discoveries.  If you live in a cave and have somehow missed the Blue Man buzz over the decades, Blue Man Group consists of three actors/percussionsts/artists who create music, paint, catch marshmallows in their mouths (the guy next to me counted 17…), interact with the crowd, make fun of technology, and cause amusing mischief.  The audience participation aspect is fun. The right people seem to get chosen to participate. They were very entertaining and good sports. It’s also charming to see such a huge variety of people in the crowd. It’s a show for grandparents and younger children, families and dates, and a sure bet for your friends who are visiting Chicago from out of town and want something different to experience.  There are “unsafe seats” near the stage for when the drumming gets interactive with paint. My sister observed, “Uh-oh, the folks in the front rows are putting on their plastic again…” You can also sit farther back and enjoy the show at a distance, but don’t be surprised if a Blue Man walks up the aisle past you or even climbs over the seats nearby.      They have the best late-comers cue I’ve ever seen. A chorus recording sings “You are LATE! You are LATE!” while a camera follows the mortified audience members to their seats. That was a hoot!  There is a newer bit with the Blue Men eating from boxes of Cap’n Crunch cereal that made me pity the stage crew who has to clean up after every performance. I liked reading the giant cue cards which the Blue Men flip. One read that “Tobias isn’t here,” a hilarious reference to David Cross’ insanely funny character on Arrested Development. (Tobias had aspirations to be a member of Blue Man Group and “blue himself” in advance preparation of getting the call to sub from his agent…leaving blue handprints all over the house.) We also had a fabulous time at the preshow press party. Check out our adventures below: ChiIL Mama (Bonnie Kenaz-Mara) with sisters & guest critics,  Catherine & Teresa Hellmann  If you’ve never been to see Blue Man Group, you should go once to see what all the fuss is about and have the experience. After that, you have my blessing to support other theaters in Chicago, especially the smaller, storefront ones.   Catherine Hellmann is a Teacher-Warrior, mom, reader, and theater fanatic. She loves books so much that she birthed a librarian and two teachers. A recent trip to Alaska marked her 49th state…Hawaii is next on her Bucket List.  Blue Man Group, the critically hailed theatrical phenomenon with an open run at Chicago’s Briar Street Theatre, celebrates 25 years in Chicago   Since its debut at the Briar Street Theatre in 1997, Blue Man Group Chicago has: Entertained more than 5 million people with more than 12,000 performances Thrown more than 120,000 marshmallows and 36,000 gum balls  Used 48,400 cakes of makeup (in their own proprietary color, Blue Man Blue)  Blue Man Group Ticket Information:  Blue Man Group Chicago ticket prices start at $49. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.blueman.com/chicago. In celebration of Blue Man Group Chicago’s 25th anniversary, Illinois residents can receive 25 percent off select seats now through December 1, 2022 by visiting www.blueman.com/chicago/offers. A full show schedule and pricing can also be found at www.blueman.com/chicago.      About Blue Man Group  Blue Man Group is a global entertainment phenomenon, known for its award-winning theatrical productions, iconic characters and multiple creative explorations. Blue Man Group performances are euphoric celebrations of human connection through art, music, comedy and non-verbal communication. Since debuting at New York’s Astor Place Theatre in 1991, the live show has expanded to additional domestic residencies in Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas, an international residency in Berlin, and multiple North American and World tours, reaching more than 50 million people worldwide. Blue Man Group is universally appealing to a broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds, and continually injected with new music, fresh stories, custom instruments and sensory stimulating graphics. Blue Man Group is owned and operated by Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. For more information, please visit www.blueman.com.

Dad Admitted Free ($61.95 value) at Medieval Times Through June 19th

Show Dad he’s your 

knight in shining armor 

for Father's Day!

From now through June 19^th Dads who attend Medieval Times will get in free (with a full-priced adult purchase) and be treated like a king, enjoying a four-course meal and an action packed medieval melee. Celebrate this week leading up to Father's Day at any of 9 locations nationwide.

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is thrilled to partner up with Medieval Times and we have been compensated in the past with complimentary review tickets for our family. As always, all opinions, photos and memories are my own.

Also, if you really want to show Dad he will always be royalty in your household, treat him to a discounted VIP Father’s Day package for an additional $25. This includes: a framed photo of Dad, a 25oz Glass Stein with his choice of beer, and a hero cape (because Dads truly are our heroes). 

Here at ChiIL Mama we adore Medieval Times! It's great multigenerational fun and I've taken my whole family including the grandparents and everyone had a blast! We highly recommend it. Book your tickets here.

Beyond The Strength

LIES THE POWER OF CHARM

“In myth and in legend, the Knight and the horse are forever linked. Few things are held in such great esteem by the Medieval warrior than a stalwart horse, who possesses the bold courage of his master and the quiet strength of his ancestors.”

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List:

Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament

2001 N. Roselle Road

Schaumburg, IL 60195

($61.95 value)

Children under age 3 do not need a ticket if they do not require their own seat and meal.

About Medieval Times 

Celebrating its 25^th anniversary during 2016, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament is the only entertainment venue of its type in the Midwest. The colossal stone castle, located just off I-90 in Schaumburg, IL beckons guests of all ages to enjoy an adrenaline-charged live jousting tournament, filled with awe-inspiring horsemanship and falconry, knights engaged in rousing displays of strength and skill, and a four-course feast fit for a king. For additional information, visit medievaltimes.com/chicago.

Disclosure: Once again, ChiIL Mama is thrilled to partner up with Medieval Times and we have been compensated in the past with complimentary review tickets for our family. As always, all opinions, photos and memories are my own.

ChiIL Mama's Photo Favs:

Act Out: Midsummer Nights Dream and Taming of the Shrew at Chicago Shakespeare Closing

It's Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's 25th Anniversary Season and they're continuing their impressive world class offerings.   We've been raving about  A Midsummer Night's Dream and Taming of the Shrew, Short Shakespeare since opening night of both shows late last month.   ChiIL Live Shows highly recommends both.   If you haven't gotten out to see these productions yet, don't delay.   Shrew and Midsummer close April 7th & 8th respectively.    Both are family friendly, impressive and accessible.   Congrats again to ChiIL Mama's family 4 pack Taming of the Shrew ticket winner, Kathy E.    She'll be checking out the show this weekend.

You could travel the globe and be hard pressed to find a rival for the award winning Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.   In fact, on opening day of Taming of The Shrew, Chi Shakes was playing host to delegates from Shakespeare Fests around the world.         



Short Shakespeare in particular, is designed with families in mind.   They keep the original language and intent in tact, but condense Taming of the Shrew into an action packed romp with a few modern nods, like sunglasses and funky boxer shorts beneath ornate, traditional costumes and contemporary music at transition points.   These additions bridge the historical gap and help the audience more easily grasp the modern relevance of Shakespeare's timeless themes and endearing characters.  We also liked the female director, Rachel Rockwell's take on the "taming", which is sometimes played up as a misogynistic nightmare.   Her take was that Kate was a victim of labeling and self fulfilling prophecy and instead of having her will broken by her new husband, she became more completely herself by someone who could appreciate her spunk and intensity.

Kate, played by Ericka Ratcliff, and Bianca, played by Tiffany Yvonne Cox, were a true pleasure to see.   On opening day, we ran into another friend and member of the press, who plays "count the black people" with her kids when they go to theatre and movies.  She was elated to see the sisters were played by women of color.  Of course, in an ideal world, skin color would be as irrelevant in casting as eye color, and Chicago is moving in that direction.   Still, I'm amused by her game and agree it's a valid point she makes with her children, as they strive to find role models in entertainment that represent and resemble them.  Kudos to Chicago Shakespeare for casting an interracial leading couple, and letting talent and temperament trump genetics.   The entire cast was impeccable, amusing and adept.

We're big fans of prepping the kids when they're going to see a challenging play.   We try to read the books first, when it's literature based theatre and the kids still love playing the same/different game when we've read a book version or seen a movie version first.   There are numerous adaptations of Shakespeare's works that are age appropriate for a wide range of kids.   This prep can be particularly helpful with younger theatre goers or older kids who have little experience with the language, so they'll know the basic plot going in and be less confused or intimidated if they can't easily grasp the unfamiliar words.    Our absolute favorite children's book version is by author Bruce Coville, who also has a sweet version of The Tempest.   The story and illustrations are amazing.   There's also a fun, early chapter book in the Magic Tree House series that my kids enjoyed in early elementary school.   Here's a link with loads of great suggestions for introducing Shakespeare to Children, including an audio version including both A Midsummer Night's Dream and Taming of The Shrew.

That said, Chicago Shakespeare does a fabulous job with the playbills for their short Shakespeare.  If you don't have time to check out a book or movie version before hand, go early and read the program together.  There's a short form of the story, cool bits of trivia, fun bios, and games, all presented in a colorful, funky, visual way.    



My kids' first live Shakespeare show was Midsummer Night's Dream, performed by Rosebriar Shakespeare Company of Columbus, OH, back in 2009.   A close, family friend was in the outdoor production, Puck was a puppet, and the kids were enamored.   Check out our Midsummer 2009 coverage here.


Midsummer is a great introduction to the bard, as it's colorful, amusing and fast paced.   Chicago Shakespeare Theatre has a much slicker, high budget production, that's truly something to see.   I've seen this play done numerous times over the years and this one was by far the funniest version I've ever had the pleasure of attending!   The audience was laughing enthusiastically throughout the show.   I won't spoil Puck's fabulous reveal, but it was a creative twist, worthy of the bard.  Oberon was so smolderingly sexy that it was easy to believe he bewitched and commanded everyone.   Between the charismatic actors, the gorgeous costumes and sets and the consummate acting, this show makes for a memorable, Shakespeare experience for a first timer or a seasoned aficionado.   Both are highly recommended.

Check out Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's main site for ticket booking, behind the scenes info, photos, education materials and more.