Mes amis, gather ’round for the whimsical tale of how a blue-skinned trio, best known for smashing stuff, ran off to join the French-Canadian circus. According to Deadline, the Blue Man Group show has merged with Cirque du Soleil, resulting in an explosion of color, silk, and stock options. Though Cirque is no stranger to the United States, its acquisition of BMG Productions has significantly widened its audience pool—right into New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Boston, and Orlando.
Cirque’s president and CEO Daniel Lamarre declared the company’s intentions to broaden its horizons through new types of entertainment and audience outreach. ”Today, we are taking a decisive step towards materializing these ambitions,” Lamarre said. “We are extremely excited to welcome the iconic Blue Man Group to our portfolio of shows. Their unbridled creativity makes them a perfect cultural fit for Cirque du Soleil. Our extensive marketing research also confirms that Blue Man Group is a strong ‘love brand’ with a solid fan base – something else our two brands have in common.”
Blue Man Group also felt it was time for a change, with co-founder Chris Wink stepping away from the garbage can of neon paint to say the organization finds itself “on the brink of our next chapter… and we have big ideas for the future. Only a global creative powerhouse like Cirque du Soleil could help us achieve our vision. Their commitment to artistic quality and originality is unparalleled and their creative resources are vast. It is an honor to join forces with their organization.”
There’s no word on how much money changed hands, but BMG Productions went for more than a song (which was presumably Cirque’s first offer, along with a giant bubble wand and a child’s sense of wonder).