"What a rush! This isn't your typical symphony audience reaction!"

No, but "Sci-Fi Favorites" is not your typical symphony. Rarely are symphony audiences treated to laser light shows, fans donning Storm Trooper helmets in the front row, transporter beam special effects, legendary science-fiction actors providing narration, or a conductor sporting a light saber baton. On Friday night, the Seattle Symphony felt the passion of the science fiction fans whooping and hollering their appreciation during a prolonged standing ovation, which led to a second curtain call. Not your typical symphony audience reaction at all!

The evening opened with John Williams' main theme from "Star Wars," which instantly overwhelmed this reviewer. The power and majesty of hearing that familiar tune played live by a symphonic orchestra was truly awe-inspiring.

Moments such as this were interspersed by comedic comments from conductor Jack Everly. Everly arranged the second selection, a TV theme medley entitled Lost in Syndication. "This medley will drive you insane tonight on the way home from the concert," he warned the audience. In an interview after the performance, Everly shared that he had created the piece especially for this concert. There were so many wonderful songs on his original list of titles, he wanted to find a way to include as many of them as possible. Some of the TV show themes included The X-files, Space 1999, The Jetsons, Twilight Zone, Lost in Space, Outer Limits, and Stargate. After the intermission, Everly gave away a light saber donated by Master Replicas to the person who could name three of the songs in the medley. The light saber went home with an 11-year old named David!

Near the end of the first half of the show, the lights went out and the orchestra was able to create the sound of a transporter as George Takei "beamed" onto the stage! Takei and Everly exchanged some witty banter before Takei launched into a monologue about the last time he was in Seattle for the 40th anniversary convention. He then introduced soprano Kristen Plumley who entered the stage wearing a TOS red mini-dress! Eventually, Takei said to Everly, "Maestro, your command." When the familiar refrain began, Takei's deep voice resonated throughout Benaroya Hall — "Space: the final frontier…" After Plumley finished singing the Original Series opening title, she and Takei exited the stage while the audience enjoyed the Star Trek Through the Years medley.

Classical music is one of George Takei's passions, so it was only fitting that this cultural icon lent his sonorous voice to Seattle Symphony's "Sci-Fi Favorites" tribute. Takei began his career as an orchestral narrator in the early 90s when his friend, conductor David Warble, asked him to narrate Johan de Meij's Symphony No. 1, "The Lord of the Rings," for the Orange County Wind Orchestra. Takei found the experience to be "enormously satisfying," and the success of the piece prompted several more performances with the Long Island Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and the Imperial Symphony Orchestra of Lakeland, Florida. He later narrated Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait" with the Honolulu Symphony.

Takei's second bit of narration came at the end of the concert when he read the final speech from the 1951 classic, "The Day the Earth Stood Still." It was a timely and poignant speech about the need for peace made all the more powerful by Takei's deep voice and impassioned reading. After the concert, Everly stated that he had to include that piece because he remembered the movie from his childhood. He did have to recreate the music for a symphony orchestra, because the original theme was "written for a strange set of instruments."

Other highlights from the evening included tenor Mike Eldred singing "Where My Heart Will Take Me" from Star Trek: Enterprise. Backed by the Seattle Symphony and Vocalpoint! Seattle youth choir, Eldred's voice certainly touched my heart. At the after party, I told him that if this would have been the recording used for the show, fans would not have hated the Enterprise theme song! He said that he would like to record this version some day.

Another great surprise that evening came from the youth choir, Vocalpoint! Seattle. Everly admitted that he felt some trepidation when first approached about using a choir composed of teenagers, because the music is difficult. Yet, "the kids absolutely nailed it!" They sang in Sanskrit for the "Duel of the Fates" from "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace." Their voices created the feeling of being in the middle of the duel; they have a powerful gift!

After the show, I had a chance to speak to producer, Ty Johnson, who is an avid fan of science fiction. He was excited to announce that George would be narrating the "Sci-Fi Favorites" with the Baltimore Symphony in January! So, fans will have another chance to hear this amazing concert. Visit STARTREK.COM at the beginning of the year for more information to see "Sci-Fi Favorites"!

Page 2: George Takei discusses Heroes