boston progress radio

If you haven’t watched Blue Man Group in any city showing this high energy drumming sensation, get those tickets now, especially if you live in Boston. The Blue Man Group at Charles Playhouse will be seeing Bhurin Sead’s last performance on January 4.

Sead began starring in Blue Man Group in March of 2008 and has recently relocated to Boston. The weather maybe hard to get used to because he is from Houston, Texas, but he spent sometime in New York City, so the Northeast coldness is not a complete surprise. Sead is a second generation Thai-American who struggled to have his parents understand the art direction he is taking. They finally did when they saw him perform in Orlando. He is a human biology expert through his studies at University of Texas (home of the Longhorns,) but realized his passion did not lie in carrying out science experiments. Sead took a leap of faith to try something outside of his professional calling. The rest is Blue Man history.

Even with the state of his Blue Man career, Sead is still staying positive, “”I’m still hopeful that… the spirit of the character, show, and community will stay alive through these tough economic times.  But for now, its time to go find other things to cause mischief in.”

JM: Is there ever a time when you’re like, “Man, I have to do a show tonight.”

Bhurin Sead: I’ve generally been really excited everyday I’ve worked, which is really cool because working at the lab. There’d be days where I’d wake up and I’d say, “Oh man the next nine hours I am here.”

JM: Have you ever thought or heard it’s easier to pick you out or tell you’re Asian even with all of your make up on?

BS: I have always wondered about that too, if people can tell. Since I have been doing the show I have only had three or four Asian families come up to me and ask if I am Asian. Yeah I always wondered if people could really tell, I always ask my friends, but your friends know you so it’s hard to gauge. I always thought it would be something that wouldn’t get me the job.

JM: What would you be doing if you weren’t a Blue Man?

BS: I definitely would be trying to be play music. I play the guitar. But also eventually I would like to teach something, something in a capacity to help shape people.

JM: What made you audition for Blue Man?

BS: I saw a poster hanging up. I remember I was going to get pizza, on the way out of getting pizza, I saw a big poster for Blue Man Group and I said “Cool, I’ve seen the show before. I’m going to go check it out. See what it’s about.” So a few days later I went during my lunch break. I went down to the open call and did the audition.

JM: So what happened after your auditioned?

BS: Call backs happen in New York, they gave me a call, “How would you like if we sent you to New York, we really like you. We want to work more with you.” At that point I was like it’s a really cool opportunity, sure I’ll go. They sent me to New York. I did the audition, and it’s a two day workshop, 8-5. You do pieces for the entire casting team from the New York office. I got a call saying I didn’t make it, they liked me and wanted to work with me and told me what I should work on. I was bummed because I didn’t get it right then, but I went back home and started to think about it. I could go back to New York City or forget about it. At the same time I got accepted to the New York Teachers Fellows. Either way I was going to New York. I quit my job in the summer, took a vacation with my family to Asia. Came back, packed up things and then went to New York with no job or anything.

JM: Your parents were fine with it?

BS: No, my parents were blown away. “We come to this country to make a better life for you, and you just want to New York with no job?” I had a long series of conversations with my Mom and Dad. We didn’t really see eye to eye. It was important enough for me to do and to disagree with my parents. That was also motivation when I was in New York to prove to Mom and Dad that I actually could do it. So I moved to New York, got a job at a lab. I was also teaching tae kwon doe to little kids around town, so my schedule was booked. I found the tae kwon teaching job because my friend needed an instructor. I don’t know anything about tae kwon doe, but when you’re teaching three, four year olds, all they know how to do is stand up and sit down. Then Blue Man Group called me back around November, December of last year, asking me to come in for another round of auditions. I went in and they called me asking me if I would like to get hired into training in January.

JM: Is it in your personality to be impulsive?

BS: No. I remember coming back from Asia, I don’t know if it was the jet lag, but I was sick for two weeks because I was stressed. I have never been that ill before or that stressed about the next day. I was like I can’t eat because I need to save money but at the same time I was really sick, all I did was drink Gatorade for two weeks. New York is one of those places that pushes you to do things. So, you got to make sure you’re spending your time wisely. I don’t know if I would say I am impulsive. Going out to buy toilet paper, I’ll deliberate if it’s two ply or if it’s three ply, shit, what am I going to do. I like to think things through.

For Blue Man Group Ticket information please visit: http://www.blueman.com/land/info/bostontickets.

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Tags: Interview.