Editing Blue Man Group (section)

==History==
===New York===
Blue Man Group grew out of a collaboration of three close friends, Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton, on Manhattan's [[Lower East Side]] in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|title=Music and Marshmallows, in Sync |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/28/theater/reviews/music-and-marshmallows-in-sync.html |website=nytimes.com |date=July 28, 2005 |access-date=May 17, 2025}}</ref> Its first public appearance was a celebration of the end of the 1980s. The three wore blue masks and led a street procession that included the burning of a [[John Rambo|Rambo]] doll and a piece of the [[Berlin Wall]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Welch|first=Liz|year=2008|title=The Blue Man Group (Cover Story)|url=http://www.inc.com/magazine/20080801/how-we-did-it-the-blue-man-group.html|journal=Inc|volume=30|issue=8|pages=110–112}}</ref> MTV's [[Kurt Loder]] covered the event, drawing attention to the group.<ref name="z806">{{cite web | last=Langmuir | first=Molly | title=How Blue Man Group Blew Up | website=Vulture | date=March 28, 2022 | url=https://www.vulture.com/article/blue-man-group-oral-history.html | access-date=May 14, 2024}}</ref> What began as creative "disturbances" on the city's streets became a series of small shows at downtown clubs, and eventually a full performance at the [[Astor Place Theatre]] in 1991.<ref name="Deb 2017">{{Cite journal|last=Deb|first=Sopan|year=2017|title=Blue Man Group Is Bought by Cirque du Soleil, with Plans to Expand|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/06/theater/cirque-du-soleil-buys-Blue-man-group.html|journal=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=How We Did It: The Blue Man Group |url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/20080801/how-we-did-it-the-blue-man-group.html |website=inc.com |date=August 1, 2008 |access-date=May 17, 2025}}</ref>

In 1993, the group trained their first understudy.<ref name="z806" /> To be in the group, a Blue Man had to "be between five-foot-ten and six-foot-one, skilled at drumming, and able to 'wordlessly emote'... [They] learn to embody six archetypes, which the group calls the 'innocent, hero, scientist, shaman, group member, and trickster.'"<ref name="z806" /> The early Blue Man cast included Gideon Banner, Chris Bowen, Michael Dahlen, Isaac Eddy, Josh Elrod, Mark Frankel, Matt Goldman, John Grady, Randall Jaynes and Pete Simpson.<ref name="s563">{{cite web | last=Finkelstein | first=Gary | title=Blue Man Group (Off Broadway) Review | website=The Gary on Broadway Blog | date=March 5, 2022 | url=https://garyonbroadway.com/blue-man-group/ | access-date=May 14, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Off-Broadway">{{cite web | title=Blue Man Group Off-Broadway Performance Cast 2024 Off-Broadway World | website=BroadwayWorld | date=May 14, 2024 | url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/shows/Blue-Man-Group-311622/current-cast | access-date=May 14, 2024}}</ref> Andrea Johnson was the first woman to be a Blue Man. She worked with them from 1999 to 2001.<ref name="z806" />

In 2010, Goldman sold his share in the group to a venture-capital firm and the group hired Willy Burkhardt who was president of the company from 2010 through 2013. In 2017, Wink and Stanton sold their shares to the Canadian company [[Cirque du Soleil]].<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Flanders |first=Haley Lauren |title=Audience Participation in Blue Man Group: Success Through Authentic Character, Adaptable Narrative, and Accessible Space |date=2015 |publisher=Brigham Young University |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5680/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Blue Man Group – Biography & History |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/blue-man-group-mn0000061845/biography |access-date=March 17, 2018 |website=AllMusic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sickler |first=Linda |title=A close look inside the secret life of a Blue Man |url=http://www.savannahnow.com/do/2013-05-08/close-look-inside-secret-life-blue-man |access-date=March 17, 2018 |work=Savannah Morning News}}</ref> On June 29, 2020, Cirque du Soleil filed for bankruptcy in Canada and temporarily laid off staff on June 30.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 30, 2020 |title=Cirque du Soleil lays off members of Blue Man Group |url=https://www.ktnv.com/news/cirque-du-soleil-lays-off-members-of-blue-man-group |access-date=August 15, 2024 |website=KTNV}}</ref> The next day, on July 1, 2020, they filed for [[Chapter 15 bankruptcy]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Announces $50 Million in Funding from Existing Investors TPG, CDPQ, and Fosun |url=https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/press/news/2020/cirque-du-soleil-entertainment-group-comprehensive-plan-to-restart-business |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723170850/https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/press/news/2020/cirque-du-soleil-entertainment-group-comprehensive-plan-to-restart-business |archive-date=July 23, 2020 |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=cirquedusoleil.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=July 1, 2020 |title=Cirque du Soleil files for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in Delaware |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bankruptcy-law/cirque-du-soleil-files-for-chapter-15-bankruptcy-in-delaware |access-date=April 2, 2023 |website=Bloomberg Law}}</ref>

The New York City run at Astor Place ended on February 2, 2025, after three decades and more than 17,000 performances.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=MSN |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/hugely-popular-broadway-show-ends-after-34-year-run/ar-AA1ymqQY#comments |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=www.msn.com}}</ref><ref name="n353">{{cite web |last=Rabinowitz |first=Chloe |date=September 15, 2023 |title=Photos: Blue Man Group Celebrates 17,000 Performances in New York City |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/Photos-BLUE-MAN-GROUP-Celebrates-17000-Performances-in-New-York-City-20230915 |access-date=May 14, 2024 |website=BroadwayWorld.com}}</ref>

===Other locations===
On February 1, 2021, the group closed their run at Universal Orlando Resort, citing the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] as part of the decision.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/202102/7995/ |title=Blue Man Group Closes Its Run at Universal Orlando |first=Robert |last=Niles |date=February 1, 2021 |access-date=August 15, 2021 |website=Theme Park Insider |language=en}}</ref> In June 2024, it was announced that the group would be returning to Orlando in a new location. The group was set to open at the ICON Park in April 2025, though this was later delayed until the end of 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=January 11, 2025 |title=Blue Man Group's Grand Opening in Orlando Set |url=https://westorlandonews.com/blue-man-groups-grand-opening-in-orlando-set/ |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=West Orlando News |language=en-US}}</ref>