Portland Ovations Announces Blue Man Group Theatrical Tour 2/4-6

NETworks Presentations, LLC and Blue Man Productions are pleased to announce a new theatrical touring production will stop at Portland's Merrill Auditorium for four performances from February 4th to February 6th. Tickets to this presentation of Blue Man Group, part of Portland Ovation's 80th season of presenting live performing arts at the historic Merrill Auditorium, are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased through PortTix by calling (207) 842-0800 or by visiting www.portlandovations.org.

Although Blue Man Group has toured previously with its Megastar arena rock show, this marks the first theatrical production to tour North America. The theatrical tour features classic Blue Man moments as well as brand new content.

Blue Man Group on tour also features a new physical design centering around a proscenium-sized LED curtain and high-resolution screen creating an entirely new visual experience for Broadway houses across the nation.

The critically acclaimed Blue Man Group creates experiences that defy categorization. Blue Man Group is best known for multi-media performances that feature three bald and blue characters who take the audience on a journey that is funny, intelligent and visually stunning. A live band, whose haunting tribal rhythms help drive the show to its climax, accompanies the Blue Men.

"Until now, we have never mounted a touring version of our theatrical production," says Blue Man Group co-founder Philip Stanton. "The main reason for this is we needed to find a way to transform theatres of all shapes and sizes into spaces in which the Blue Man can intimately connect with the audience, where the audience can become engaged with the spirit of the show and of the Blue Man himself. We think we have finally figured it out, and an audience member in a theatre that seats 4,500 people or so will now be able to enjoy the same intimate experience that might be had in one of our smaller theatres. Our goal with this production, as with all of our productions, is to help audience members reconnect with their own sense of discovery, with their own sense of what is possible in their lives."

Portland Ovations' presentation of Blue Man Group at Merrill Auditorium is graciously sponsored by Whole Foods, Norway Savings Bank, Idexx Laboratories, Baker/Newman/Noyes Certified Public Accountants, and CIEE. Additional Media Support has been provided by WGME-TV 13.

Performances of Blue Man Group at Merrill Auditorium are scheduled for 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 4th; 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 5th; and at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 6th. Tickets range in price from $41 to $61 for Portland Ovations' Members and $45 to $68 for the general public.

About NETworks Presentations
NETworks Presentations, LLC was founded in 1995 by Kenneth Gentry, Seth Wenig and Scott Jackson, NETworks has produced and managed over 70 national and international touring productions. Previous productions include Oliver!, Little Women starring Maureen McGovern, Jekyll & Hyde, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Cinderella starring Eartha Kitt and Deborah Gibson, Fosse starring Ben Vereen and Ruthie Henshaw, The Light in the Piazza, My Fair Lady co-produced with Cameron Mackintosh, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma, Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, among many others. Joining returning hits Annie, The Drowsy Chaperone, Hairspray and The Wizard of Oz this season are Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Young Frankenstein, and the Lincoln Center's production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific. Future titles include Joyful Noise's production of Handel's Messiah Rocks, A Chorus Line, Spring Awakening, Les Misérables and the Blue Man Group national tour.

About Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group is best known for its widely popular theatrical shows and concerts that combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. The blissful party atmosphere created at the live events has become the trademark of a Blue Man Group experience.

Currently, Blue Man Group theatrical shows can be seen in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Berlin, Stockholm, Vienna and Tokyo.

Audiences have multiple opportunities to discover Blue Man Group through the scope and variety of its creative projects, including:

· Blue Man Group family-focused educational projects, including a touring Children's Museum exhibit, "Making Waves"
· Blue Man Group's headlining performance on the new Norwegian Epic by Norwegian Cruise Line-the Official Cruise Line of Blue Man Group
· An upcoming Blue Man Group IMAX film, "Blue Man Group: Mind Blast", which gives the Blue Man an entirely new environment to explore, slated to arrive in theatres in 2011

As the company grows, it remains true to its vision of providing exciting experiences in a variety of media, appealing to a broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds. Learn more at www.blueman.com.