Wanting to do something different on Thanksgiving eve, we decided on a 5 p.m. performance of Blue Man Group. The early show allowed us plenty of time to return home before holiday traffic.

We both previously saw Blue Man Group many years ago. Now we looked forward to a fresh experience.

Blue Man Group started with three friends in Manhattan in 1987. Originally described as “creative disturbances” on the streets, it progressed to small shows and eventually a full performance in 1991. In 1997 it came to Chicago’s Briar Street Theatre and hasn’t left. Cirque du Soleil acquired Blue Man Group in 2017.

© Blue Man Group Chicago – Kyle Flubacker

An experimental performance art group, Blue Man Group combines charm, music, art and science, making it a unique multi-sensory performance. Blue Man Group has visited 25 countries and has 70 members worldwide.

© Blue Man Group Chicago – Kyle Flubacker

Continually evolving, it is constantly refreshed, adding new music, stories, instruments and technology. While chatting with the knowledgeable ushers, we learned there are new instruments, technologies and interactions with the audience. There are still the splash areas up front. They assured us it would be different from the show we saw years ago while retaining the main concepts.

© Blue Man Group Chicago – Kyle Flubacker

Running 90 minutes with no intermission, it was fast-paced but never rushed. A few audience members joined the blue trio in skits, including a man right behind me.

© Blue Man Group Chicago – Kyle Flubacker

We loved every minute of it. Whether marveling at their skills, laughing at the humor or wondering what was next, it completely engaged us. There is really nothing like Blue Man Group.

© Blue Man Group Chicago – Kyle Flubacker

A perfect place for Blue Man Group, Briar Street Theatre is a historic Chicago institution. Built in 1901, the space was originally used as stables for horses owned by Marshall Field’s. It was redesigned into a sound stage in 1970, reopening as a theater in 1985.

© Blue Man Group Chicago – Kyle Flubacker

Among the unique features is the original second floor, visible as it hangs from the ceiling by turnbuckles. Also, the lobby houses art by Picasso, Van Gogh and others, even the Blue Man Group themselves.

Shortly after we got our tickets, it was announced Blue Man Group would be leaving Chicago January 5. Blue Man Group will remain in other cities and is expected to debut in Orlando, Florida, in spring 2025.

— John Wroblewski, online writer