BOSTON — Suffolk University students attended a night of dinner and performance on Sept. 19, sponsored by Program Council, an on-campus organization that coordinates many University events for students.
Dinner was held at the Hard Rock Café, located in Boston’s downtown Faneuil Hall, followed by a Blue Man Group show at the Charles Playhouse in the Theater District.
Program Council coordinated this yearly event; purchasing 100 tickets for dinner and a show with their own club budget, charging each student $20. In his second year of organizing the program, Brian Martineau, one of Program Council’s executive board members, expressed his dedication to the occasion.
“This event is an important yearly tradition,” he said. “It’s always a successful sell out because it’s one of the many events sponsored by Program Council in which students can get dinner and a show for $20.”
Dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe
Suffolk students arrived at the Hard Rock Café for a 5 p.m. dinner, held in the restaurant’s “Boston Room.” Located in Copley Square for 17 years, the Hard Rock moved to Faneuil Hall in July of 2007 to expand its capacity to accommodate more guests. Students were able to order from the “Classic Rock Menu,” a condensed menu for party events that included the choice of a cheeseburger, chicken sandwich, veggie burger, or caesar salad. All meals included a beverage and fresh baked cookies.
Not only did students receive a discounted meal, they also experienced a university event in an age appropriate setting. With classic rock music in the air, the restaurant foyer boasted a busy cluster of tables and a bar with thousands of gleaming drum cymbals overlapping on the wall behind. There were instruments, pieces of clothing, records, and pictures autographed by renowned musicians everywhere.
The Hard Rock Café’s “Boston Room” is a casual and quieter area of the restaurant, but still possesses the same Rock ‘n’ Roll atmosphere. The classy yet simple cherry wood tables and chairs are complimented by the flashy rock star memorabilia that decorates the walls. Classic rock music resonated from the speakers that surround the room as attendees ate and conversed before a performance by the Blue Man Group.
Blue Man Group performance
Dinner was followed by a 15-minute walk to the Charles Playhouse, where the Blue Man Group has been stationed since 1995. The Suffolk group had tickets to the first three rows of the theater, the show’s “poncho section.” Here, audience members are susceptible to splattering paint, a common occurrence in the performance. As the theatre lights dimmed, the guests suited up into their complimentary ponchos and the Blue Man Group show began.
“I thought the poncho section definitely added to the show,” said Kelsi Trenti, a member of Program Council. “It made the show that much better.”
The Blue Man Group performed their show “Tubes,” which began in 1991 at the Astor Place Theatre in New York City. The show consisted of music, art and comedy sketches; all of which were performed with no verbal communication. In order to communicate with the audience, the Blue Men relied solely on facial expressions and body gestures.
The main appeal of the performance was the music, created by simple objects such as tubes, pipes and oil drums. The Blue Men performed with various drum sizes, spanning from six inches to six feet; and also incorporated a two-story drum wall with seven percussion stations. As the Blue Men poured paint onto their drums and began to play, a colorful work of art was created.
Audience members were frequently pulled onstage to participate in the show’s comedy sketches. This aspect of the show was centered on the messy use of food, such as bananas, Twinkies, marshmallows, and Captain Crunch. Volunteers from the audience reacted to the odd employment of food with either good sportsmanship or utter misinterpretation, all for a good laugh.
“It was surprising to see what the Blue Men had volunteers do during the performance,” said Jeff Cavallo, a member of Program Council. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw the mushy bananas shooting from their chests.”
Overall, this year’s dinner and theatre event proved to be another success for Program Council. The city of Boston has an abundance of theatres and restaurants that cater to its high population of college students. Through Program Council, Suffolk University students have the opportunity to visit some of these local favorites.
For more information on Program Council, contact Andy Dolan at ADolan47@gmail.com.