steve burns alive

Steve Burns is alive and (relatively) well. That’s the premise of the show he performed at La MaMa’s experimental theatre. In a touching tribute to both his history as the host of Blue’s Clues and his viral comeback during COVID — when he asked the world, “How are you? he begins the show offstage, appearing on a screen. Looking at us in the eyes, but not really in the eyes, the way he used to, he tells us how happy he is to see us again. Like an old friend or family member returning after a long absence.

I can’t help but feel like both the completely wrong target audience for such a show, and also the perfect one. I didn’t grow up with Blue’s Clues, so I have no nostalgic connection with Steve. But if this show could still move me and connect with me without that pre-existing emotional tie, then Steve has achieved something wonderful. And I’m glad to say that, for me, he did.

The mix of video and in-person performance works beautifully for the theme of the show and the question Steve keeps circling back to. After re-establishing (or not, in my case) the emotional connection that links him to “you” specifically, he asks us: “Is this real?”

The show keeps exploring that question through anecdotes and stories from Steve’s life, from before he landed “THE part” to after, when he chose a descent into anonymity. He digs into why he made that choice, and how rumors—ranging from the typical “He’s on drugs” to the more extreme, and inspiration for the show’s title, “He’s dead”—can affect someone on a deep level. Even though he knows he isn’t dead, if enough people keep saying and believing he is… should he be? Is this real?

During the performance I attended, the projector broke down. That led to a wonderful little improv moment from Steve, and we ended up seeing the rest of the show without the mixed-media aspect. For me, it really showcased Steve’s strength as a performer and connector. He turned the glitch into an opportunity to bond with the audience and immediately bring us to his side. By the end, he even hinted that maybe the accident was on purpose, because everything he’d said until then was scripted, so maybe that was too. Is this real?

I will say the conclusion felt like it was meant to be on video, but again, I can’t be sure. And that uncertainty is more a strength than a weakness, as it fits perfectly with the show’s theme. I won’t spoil Steve’s ultimate take on “Is this real?” or what he believes constitutes connection and a genuine human bond, because it’s worth experiencing for yourself.

In the end, I had a wonderful, humane, and heartwarming time with Steve Burns—even without any prior emotional connection to him or the immortal blue dog. But I do now with Burgess Meredith, the mortal dog.

If you have emotional ties to Steve from Blue’s Clues or his viral return, I’d say go see this without hesitation. It’s wonderful. If, like me, no such ties exist, then depending on your curiosity, go if you want your heart warmed and to hear a room full of grown adults “aww” and sigh like they’re kids again.