George Takei to Host Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra 'Sci-Fi Spectacular' PNC Pops Concert, 11/14-16

Oh myyyyyyyyy....the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra announced today that George Takei, who first came to fame as Mr. Sulu on the original "Star Trek" television show, will host the PNC Pops concert "Sci-Fi Spectacular" on Nov. 14-16 at Heinz Hall.

Takei - who is an actor, social justice activist, social media mega-power, star of the Broadway musical "Allegiance," host of the AARP-produced YouTube series "Takei's Take" and subject of the documentary "To Be Takei" - will host and narrate an out-of-this-world concert experience. Led by Jack Everly, "Sci-Fi Spectacular" features music from "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Star Trek," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and much more!

Widely recognized for his vocal talents, Takei has been a guest narrator with numerous symphony orchestras. He narrated "A Survivor from Warsaw" with the Nashville Symphony conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero in February 2013 and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Philip Mann in 2012. He narrated "Sci-Fi Spectacular" with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra in January 2014, North Carolina Symphony in June 2013, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in June 2012, Toronto Symphony Orchestra in May 2012, Detroit Symphony Orchestra in March 2012, Kansas City Symphony in January 2012, Naples (Florida) Philharmonic Orchestra in January 2011, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in July 2010, Cleveland Orchestra in August 2009, Ottawa Symphony Orchestra in April 2009, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in January 2009, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in January 2008 and February 2014, and Seattle Symphony in September 2007. Takei narrated "Look to the Future" with the San Francisco Symphony in July 2009. In 2008, he hosted "To Boldly Go" with the Minnesota Orchestra conducted by Sarah Hatsuko Hicks. In November 2004, Takei narrated Copeland's "Lincoln Portrait" with the Honolulu Symphony conducted by Samuel Wong. He has narrated Johan de Meij's "Symphony No. 1: The Lord of the Rings" with the Springfield, Mass., Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kevin Rhodes as well as with the Long Island Philharmonic, Denver Symphony Orchestra, Orange County California Wind Orchestra and the Imperial Symphony Orchestra of Lakeland, Fla., all conducted by David Warble.

Single tickets for the 2014-2015 PNC Pops season go on sale on Aug. 25 and season tickets to the seven-concert series are available now. Tickets can be purchased at pittsburghsymphony.org or 412-392-4900.

The Pittsburgh Symphony would like to recognize and thank PNC for its 2014-2015 title sponsorship of PNC Pops. Fairmont Pittsburgh is the official hotel of the Pittsburgh Symphony.

With a career spanning five decades, George Takei is known around the world for his founding role in the acclaimed television series "Star Trek," in which he played Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the Starship Enterprise. Takei starred in three seasons of Star Trek and later reprised his iconic role in six movies. "To Be Takei," a Jennifer M. Kroot documentary on the life and career of Takei, premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January 2014 and will have a theatrical release on Aug. 22, 2014. "Takei's Take," produced by AARP, is a new YouTube series where Takei explores the world of technology, trends, current events and pop culture. Mashable.com in 2012 reported Takei is the #1 most-influential person on Facebook, currently with more than 7.3 million likes. Takei has more than 1.2 million followers on Twitter. Takei authored "Lions and Tigers and Bears: The Internet Strikes Back" and "Oh Myyy! There Goes the Internet," released in e-book and paperback in 2012, and it ranked #10 on the New York Times E-book nonfiction list. Takei and Tony Award winner Lea Salonga are developing "Allegiance - A New American Musical." The musical is an epic story of love, family and heroism during the Japanese American internment. Allegiance's world premiere at the Old Globe theatre in San Diego in 2012 will be followed by a Broadway run. In addition to a busy acting career, Takei regularly appears on Howard Stern's Sirius XM satellite radio show. Takei has brought his voiceover talent to hundreds of characters in film, television, video games and commercials during his prolific career. Takei, a Japanese American who from age 4 to 8 was unjustly interned in two U.S. internment camps during World War II, is an outspoken supporter of human right issues and community activist. He is chairman emeritus and a trustee of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. The openly gay Takei has served as the spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign "Coming Out Project," and was cultural affairs chairman of the Japanese American Citizens League. He was appointed to the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission by former President Clinton and the government of Japan awarded Takei the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for his contribution to U.S.-Japanese relations. In 2007, Asteroid 7307 Takei, located between Mars and Jupiter, was named in the performer's honor in appreciation for his social work. Takei lives in Los Angeles with his husband, Brad Takei.

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