Not a circus, not a play, it's just about being blue

A decade ago, Wes Day was just another fledgling actor looking for his big break. That all changed when he accepted a friend's offer to attend an open-casting call for a spot in a touring show unlike any other.

The plum, if quirky, role would require the New York City-based actor to be convincing and enthrall audiences without speaking and while slathered in cobalt-blue grease paint.

After his audition in 1997, Day landed what has become a steady gig as a member of the eclectic, multimedia experiment known as Blue Man Group. Not bad for a guy who at the time had modest aspirations: "I thought I would have been lucky as an actor to be in a soap opera."

Blue Man Group is the creation of Phil Stanton, Chris Wink and Matt Goldman, performance artists who put the original group together while living in New York City in the late 1980s.

What began as a fringe performance-art-comedy trio with a rock 'n' roll edge morphed into a mainstream hit that spawned touring acts such as the group Day is involved with. Television appearances, advertising campaigns and high-profile concerts in Las Vegas, Boston, Chicago and Berlin have secured Blue Man Group's place in popular culture.

The Grammy-nominated Blue Man Group brings its "How to be a Megastar 2.1" tour to the Comcast Arena at Everett Events Center on Friday.

For the uninitiated, Blue Man Group is all about creating a memorable, multisensory live experience — think a high-octane rock show with sophisticated lighting and sound and a sardonic bite. Blue Man Group shows are not always easy to define, especially for newcomers, Day said during a recent interview.

"The show is so hard to describe. It's not a circus show or a clown show. Some people come in thinking it is going to be pretentious or artsy-fartsy," he said. "But then they come in and it's highbrow and lowbrow, with 'Animal House'-style humor. The show has some real frat-house humor. I like that the show is really funny."

On this tour Day and company use their expressive eyes and facial contortions, coupled with an infectious musical backdrop, to dispense a type of pop psychology on the cult of celebrity.

The basis of "How to be a Megastar" is a tongue-in-cheek faux infomercial, which is projected on screens during the group's live shows and is essentially a step-by-step manual to superstardom and grabbing those 15 minutes of fame.

The result is a fusion of musical theater, social commentary and stand-up comedy. Extemporaneous moments on popular culture and celebrity obsession are dissected and excoriated in humorous fashion.

Blue Man Group also pokes fun at itself and bands that resort to makeup and props as part of an act or to create a persona. (By the way, it takes Day roughly 20 minutes to put on the latex bald cap, the heavy makeup and the all-black, industrial-style clothing for the five to seven shows in which he performs every week.)

As an actor, Day is liberated by a role that requires him to convey a range of emotions through actions rather than words.

"You have to have an understanding of using your face as a neutral mask," Day said. "With the lack of dialogue, you can let your mind go and have a different show every night."

Blue Man Group creates beats, rhythms, blips and sound loops through the creative use of drums and other percussion instruments, including offbeat, custom-made ones crafted from materials such as PVC pipe. In keeping with the arena-rock vibe, they also do their take on classic rock songs, from The Who's "Baba O'Riley" to Pink Floyd's "One of These Days."

The music, Day said, is as integral to the show as is audience participation.

"The audience really likes to be part of the show," he said. "Whenever you take someone from the audience up onto the stage into the Blue Man Group, suddenly the audience member looks like the alien in the room."

While the unpredictable and interactive nature of Blue Man Group may add to its sometimes head-scratching appeal, an uplifting underlying message is its calling card.

"There's a wide range for people to respond to," Day said. "The intention behind the show is really positive. It's inspiration to follow your bliss and explore your creative side."