Kalen Allmandinger on His ‘Neo-Vaudevillian, Punk Clown Variety Show’ Blue Man Group

Kalen Allmandinger has spent over a decade as one of the three silent stars of percussive, multimedia show Blue Man Group, and it sounds like it’s still as fresh as ever.

"It's a really fun show to perform, even after 11 years," Allmandinger told the Omaha World-Herald recently. "We rotate playing all three roles, so it stays exciting and rewarding."

Allmandinger landed a gig with the New York production of Blue Man Group shortly after graduating from the Chicago College of the Performing Arts in 2000. He then headed out for a two-year run in Boston, followed by international stints in London, Berlin and Tokyo. He joined the show’s national tour in September 2010, and now the Iowa native is enjoying time near home as the tour hit Omaha’s Orpheum Theater on January 17.

"I was always drawn to music, and drums in particular," Allmandinger said, of his initial attraction to the piece. "This show also incorporates the physical aspects of my training and visual storytelling." He also enjoys playing a character he describes as “a little mysterious, there’s a hidden wink and a smile," he said. "You don't know what's motivating him, and there's a sense that anything could happen."

Adding to that sense of spontaneity is the show’s use of audience participation, which makes every show unique. "It's a neo-vaudevillian, punk clown variety show," he said. "Everything we do is to try to create a shared experience with a particular audience.”

Catch Blue Man Group on the Orpheum Theatre through January 22.