Put Your Hands Together for 'Pandemonium'

If you thought Blue Man Group was a little twisted, think again.

Students from the Port Washington High School music department are performing "Pandemonium 2011" this weekend, and sophomore Alex Balister explains the show as a Blue Man Group performance with the school's unique spin.

"You can expect something close to Blue Man Group, but with our own twist," he said. "We constructed all of our own PVC instruments and use them throughout the show, along with various other set pieces and unique instruments that we invented. The best part about it all is that the show is entirely written and put on from students within the high school's music department, including a few alumni."

Balister will appear in the show as a drummer for backup band pieces, and also pops up in 18 of the 21 scenes. While he's only a sophomore, Balister said this is his third year with Pandemonium.

"In previous years, we have done more of a story line for the show, but this year we have strayed away from that a little bit," he said. "We do have ensembles that are (a) tradition that we re-write and bring back every year — such as chair ensemble. ... Most of the other scenes are just ideas that we came up with together as a group in fall/winter of the previous year."

The students have prepared a sneak peek video of the performance, which you can watch on YouTube.

The show will go on at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the auditorium.

Tickets for Pandemonium 2011 will be sold at the door, and cost $7 for adults and $5 for children younger than 12. Thursday's show includes a special student rate of $5 tickets with student IDs.

All proceeds from the performance benefit the Port High School band program and the Paul Watry Memorial and Scholarship Funds.