And yet, elements of those aspects of performance art find their way into the somewhat less than two hour show. The world that you enter will be filled with Jell-O, paint pellets, drums, twisted tubes, Twinkies, crepe paper, marshmallows, canvas, and an electronic message board. Phil Stanton was a drummer who met Wink when they worked together for a catering company. Matt Goldman, who knew Wink in high school, has an MBA and worked as a computer-software producer. The genesis of BMG was worked out on the streets of Manhattan before finding its way to the Astor Theatre, where attendance has become as much a ritual as what we see on the stage.
Many couples plan annual sojourns to celebrate their first night at the show.
BMG has expanded to include thirteen additional performers who alternate performances. The three originals will be here in Chicago for an unspecified length of time and I am assured that most audience members will have no idea when a substitute actor is used.