Cincinnati Pops Opens 2013-14 Music Hall Season with Guest George Takei

George Takei

Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Presented by PNC
John Morris Russell, conductor
George Takei, narrator
Dean Regas (Cincinnati Observatory), special guest
Music Hall
8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22
Tickets start at $25 and are available by calling: (513) 381-3300 or visiting www.cincinnatipops.org

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra opens its 2013-14 season at Music Hall with a bang on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 20-22 with a program dubbed The Final Frontier featuring pop culture icon George Takei. A star of film, television and Facebook, Mr. Takei will narrate the orchestral program, conducted by John Morris Russell, that includes music invoking the best of science fiction films such as Star Trek and Star Wars. Dean Regas, astronomer with Cincinnati Observatory and host of the PBS series Star Gazers, also makes a guest appearance, helping to distinguish science fact from fiction. This multi-media performance will include fascinating images from NASA.

George Takei, best known for his role as the original “Mr. Sulu” in the Star Trek franchise, boasts an enormous pop culture following with over 4.5 million Facebook fans. His film and television credits span decades, and his recently penned, critically acclaimed musical, Allegiance, opens on Broadway this spring. While in town for the concerts, Mr. Takei will also serve as the Grand Marshall of “Oktoberfest Zinzinnati,” the largest Oktoberfest outside of Munich, leading The World’s Largest Chicken Dance in Fountain Square in Downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, September 21 at 4 p.m.

Other opportunities surrounding this concert include a tug-of-war battle between Star Wars and Star Trek fans on Friday, September 20 at 7 p.m. in Washington Park. Costumes are encouraged. Audience members may also have their photos taken with Stormtroopers in the Music Hall lobby before all performances. After all performances, volunteers from the Cincinnati Observatory will be offering stargazing lessons in Washington Park (solar scopes will be available for the Sunday matinee). The Cincinnati Pops will also have a table at the Cincinnati Comic Expo at the Duke Energy Convention Center Sept. 13-15 with opportunities for patrons to be part of The Final Frontier show.

Tickets for The Final Frontier are still available and start at $25. and can be purchased via the Pops Box Office by calling (513) 381-3300 or visiting www.cincinnatipops.org.

The Cincinnati Pops is grateful to The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation, concert sponsor. The Pops Series Presenting Sponsor is PNC. The ArtsWave partner company for this performance is GE Aviation.