After Tuesday’s performance on campus, the Blue Man Group stripped themselves of paint for a night out at Scotty’s Brewhouse. Contrary to his silent on-stage persona, on-and-off member for 10 years Russell Rinker had a lot to say.
Rinker performed in the show in New York and Las Vegas before taking a break to move to Hollywood to explore his acting career. Now, he is performing with the group on his first national tour.
Question: What’s it like to be in the Blue Man Group?
Answer: It is definitely the weirdest job I’ve ever had, which is saying something. But I would also say that it’s the most fun job I’ve ever had. Just because of the nature of the it. And just with the iconic status of the character and the show, people are always excited.
Q: What was it like going on stage for the first time as a Blue Man?
A: I almost threw up after that show. It’s so overwhelming. Here you are off-Broadway in New York performing, and there’s just so much to remember between the music and the acting moments and just knowing that you’re going into this iconic show. You feel like a faker you know? You think ‘man I hope no one boos me off the stage.’ And then it happened again when I went to Vegas ... You’re thinking ‘here I am a headliner in a show on the Las Vegas strip. What the hell? How did I end up here?’
Q: You don’t speak in this show. How is that different compared to other shows you’ve been in?
A: That’s a good question, especially for me. I got a degree in theatre and in English, so I was all about words and I was doing a lot of classical theatre: musical theatre, light opera and Shakespeare festivals. I mean, the lines are there, you just don’t say them. You look at something and you’re like ‘oh no! What’s that? What just happened?’ but instead of saying that, it’s physical story telling. I think it’s actually made me a much better actor because it makes you very aware ... I used to talk a lot as a kid and my family still can’t believe that I have a job where I don’t speak.
Q: What’s it like putting that paint on every night?
A: That’s probably the worst part. We glue down a latex bald cap that covers the hair and the ears and we have these in ear monitors so you can’t even really hear, you know how rock musicians have those hearing aid things? Because drums are so loud, it has to mute that and we have to hear the music so we can stay together. But you’re really sealed in there. The make-up stays wet and it comes off really easily. But, the show is really fun. It’s just part of the tedium of it.
It’s like sled riding. You have to get dressed, you have to get all wrapped up and then you go. The trip down the hill is really fun, but then you have to walk back up the hill.
Q: What’s your most fun experience with the show, your most memorable moment?
A: It’s funny because even after doing a couple thousand performances over the course of ten years either the performers do things or audience members do things that I have never seen them do before. I’m always surprised by that.
The people you bring on stage, you never know what they are going to do. I’ve been slapped and picked up and groped and grabbed and pinched and everything. People think its like a mascot suit, so they don’t necessarily think there is a real person there, but there is.
Q: Are you not allowed to smile when you are blue?
A: Yeah, we don’t smile. There is kind of a brightness, like you can tell when the blue man is happy, there is like a tweak in the corner of the mouth. But as far as pure, classic human emotions of smiling and frowning, not so much.
Q: What kind of acting training do you have to go through?
A: I had issues with the acting training getting in the way with just being the blue man. You have these physical rules, like the blue man stands a certain way and certain things he does or doesn’t do. But after that its you in that situation, so rather than playing a character it’s kind of like half you, half this character. If you take someone that is a drummer or an actor... and they just are like ‘Okay this is me, I am in the situation,’ and they are just kind of looking around, curious, just more task oriented. It’s not easy, but it should be simple and clear.
Q: What do you want audience members to take away from the show?
A: We think of the show as an experience that we are leading, and the band is providing the soundtrack, but the audience are all doing it together. So, our experience is based on you, and your experience is based on us, and it’s this collective journey that we have gone through ... The show is good for all ages. Kids get it, kids see the blue man and he’s kind of childlike and kind of like a dog. He sees a ball and wants to play and is all excited about it. Or its kids who don’t have these kind of societal rules that they live by. Why can’t you take food and throw it at someone? Why can’t you make music with pvc pipes? Why can’t you put paint on drums and splash it? The adult in you says that is going to make a big mess, but the child in you is like ‘that is going to look cool. And it will be great.’ We want people who come to the show to remember that feeling of play and wonder and not to be afraid and have these rules that you are living by.
We’ve had a great time here. Just being around the campus was cool, hanging out at Scotty’s last night, it’s cool just to kind of see as a performer who is on the road and see these towns and people all across the country.
