NJ Symphony presents music from ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Star Trek’ and beyond

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra will present “Sci-Fi Spectacular,” featuring music from “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and more at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6, at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 7, at State Theatre, New Brunswick.

Marina Sirtis, best known as counselor Deanna Troi on the television series “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and the four feature films that followed, will host.

“This is my second time appearing with a symphony orchestra, and I am thrilled to be a part of such an exciting evening of music from sci-fi,” said Sirtis, who next can be seen in the comedy series “Internity” and the upcoming “5th Passenger” feature film. “One forgets, sometimes, how many of music‘s most lauded composers gave of their talent to sci-fi movies and TV shows.”

Audience members are invited to enter a cosplay contest dressed as their favorite sci-fi movie characters. The contest will be one hour before each performance.

Highlights also will include themes from other sci-fi classics, such as “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” and “E.T. the Extraterrestial” with music by John Williams, Bernard Herrmann and more. Featured vocalists are Kristen Plumley, a Connecticut native who has performed “Sci-Fi Spectacular” with the Cleveland, Indianapolis, Seattle, Baltimore and other symphonies, and Paper Mill Playhouse Broadway Show Choir, which consists of performers ages 15 to 22. Bob Bernhardt, principal pops conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphony, Louisville Orchestra and Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, will conduct.

“I was thrilled to be invited to conduct the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra for the very first time and to be asked to be a part of this engaging and exciting musical program,” Bernhardt said.

Single tickets start at $20 and are available at www.njsymphony.org, 800-255-3476, or in person at NJSO Patron Services, 60 Park Place, 9th floor, Newark, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Tickets for the Jan. 7 performance also are available at www.STNJ.org, 732-246-7469, or in person at State Theatre New Jersey Guest Services, 15 Livingston Ave., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and three hours prior to curtain. Visit www.njsymphony.org/scifi.

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Staff Writer Bob Makin: 732-565-7319; bmakin@gannett.com