Circus act: Blue Man Group acquired
What does an offbeat, genre-defining circus powerhouse do when it’s looking to expand? Buy an offbeat performance group known for sloshing bright blue paint off of drums, of course.
Cirque du Soleil announced yesterday it will acquire Blue Man Productions, the company behind the Blue Man Group’s three-man percussion and paint performances.
“We want to broaden our horizons, develop new forms of entertainment, reach out to new audiences and expand our own creative capabilities,” Cirque du Soleil’s president and chief executive, Daniel Lamarre, said in a statement. “Their unbridled creativity makes them a perfect cultural fit for Cirque du Soleil.”
In the statement, Cirque said both creative productions are looking to expand. Founded in 1991, Blue Man Group currently runs six ongoing shows — including one at Boston’s Charles Playhouse — in addition to North American and world tours.
“We find ourselves on the brink of our next chapter, and we have big ideas for the future,” Blue Man Group co-founder Chris Wink said. “Only a global creative powerhouse like Cirque du Soleil could help us achieve our vision.”
Cirque said the Blue Man acquisition will help it expand from a circus company to one that runs a wide range of shows worldwide. The company has 18 ongoing shows, including one dedicated to the Beatles, a circus performance inspired by insects and another circus on ice.
The terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Lamarre told The New York Times the deal was in the tens of millions.