I don't know if many have gotten to check it out, but "Star Wars" has been on tour in recent weeks. Really, "Star Wars": In Concert, a nationwide (plus Canada) series of concerts celebrating composer John Williams' magnificent score for the six movies in George Lucas's long-running sci-fi franchise.
I was fortunate enough to check out last weekend's show at Nassau Coliseum, on Long Island. It was a jarring day actually, as I caught a 10am screening of "New Moon" that morning -- a PACKED house, I might add -- before jumping on a Long Island Railroad train out to the show. I wasn't sure what to expect, having only read that (1) a symphony orchestra was involved, (2) clips from the movies were involved and, most excitingly, (3) Anthony Daniels -- who played C-3PO in every movie -- was serving as some sort of master of ceremonies. An enticing mix for a "Star Wars" nut like me, and the reality of it did not disappoint.
First, I got to the show -- staged in the same place that hockey's New York Islanders play -- to discover a nearly packed house, featuring an odd mix of guardian-accompanied children (many of them dressed in costume for the occasion) and aged 25-35 adults, folks like me who grew up with the movies.
The concert actually came off very well. The orchestra is London's Royal Philharmonic, and Anthony Daniels did indeed serve as the MC. He introduced every performance in the context of how the music fits into the story. During each movement, cut up scenes from the movies played on a massive screen in the background, complete with sound effects and dialogue.
The overall effect reminded me of that scene in "Return of the Jedi," when Threepio describes his adventures so far to a gathered group of Ewoks. The production values were admittedly a bit higher at the concert -- Threepio just had his voice and a few canned sound effects -- but the feel was the same. And it was amazing for a superfan like me to behold. If the show still hasn't come to your town -- there are still a few weeks left for the tour -- I highly recommend checking it out if you're a fan of the series.
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