Earlier this week, we attended Star Wars: In Concert in Toledo, Ohio. It was an extraordinary experience! Music from a full orchestra, a chorus, lasers, huge movie screens, pyrotechnics, and more - TRULY unforgettable.

Star Wars: In Concert is a unique event that combines John Williams' unforgettable music, performed by a live symphone orchestra and chorus, with specially edited footage from all six Star Wars films. Through each musical piece, audiences will experience the key themse, characters and story elements of the epic Star Wars saga from a new perspective - taking a remarkable excursion into the heart of a galaxy far, far away.

It was GREAT! You could tell, walking into the arena, that there was a palpable excitement from the people streaming in. Kids brought in their lightsabers, adults taking photos of their kids (and themselves) next to the exhibits, kids in jedi costumes (which was wonderful to see, that this epic story has crossed so many generations and is Still Fun to experience, for both children and adults). 

As we got closer to the start of the show, the excitement and anticipation of the concert built. The concert started to thunderous applause, and after the classic Star Wars opening, delved into our very favorite piece, Duel of the Fates (to even MORE thunderous applause).

Narrated live by Anthony Daniels (the actor who portrayed C-3PO in all six films), the production features a full symphony orchestra and choir, accompanied by specially edited footage from the films displayed on a three-story-tall, high-definition LED super-screen -- one of the largest ever put on tour. The live music and film elements are synchronized in order to create a full multi-media, one-of-kind Star Wars experience.

"We've taken the key themes from the music and cut together all the images that fit with each theme, so you can really get a sense of how the music played into the images," said George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars Saga. "The whole soundtrack is a testament to John Williams' creativity and his extraordinary ability to enhance the emotional aspects of the films."

"Creating the music for the Star Wars films has been an exciting and wonderful experience for me, and I therefore have derived particular pleasure in assembling a compendium of themes from all of the films to be presented in Star Wars: In Concert," said Williams. "The editors at Lucasfilm have created original film montages to accompany each of the musical selections, and in the process, I believe that a singular and unique Star Wars experience has been born."

"This event has been crafted to present Star Wars from many points of view; for the first time, the full dramatic sweep of Williams' iconic scores can be heard performed live in one evening," said Another Planet Touring Producer Spencer Churchill. "The show is a new way of experiencing the epic scope of the saga."

Accompanying the concert is an exclusive exhibit of Star Wars costumes, props, artifacts, production artwork and specially created behind-the-scenes videos from the Lucasfilm Archives. Many of these pieces are leaving Skywalker Ranch for the first time. The exhibit features many classic fan favorite artifacts, as well as several new and never-before-seen items, including:

    * Full costumes for Jedi Masters Kit Fisto and Plo Koon will be on display.

    * For the first time ever, pages from John Williams' original hand-written sheet music for Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace will be exhibited for the public.

    * Also on display will be various never-before-seen props from the films, including blasters and helmets from Coruscant, Tatooine and other iconic Star Wars locations.

With the laser light show and the pyrotechnics accompanying the film clips and music, this was truly an experience to remember.

For more information, please visit www.StarWarsInConcert.com.

Star Wars: In Concert is produced by Another Planet Touring in association with Lucasfilm Ltd. Performances will be conducted by Dirk Brossé and the production is directed and designed by Steve Cohen. Star Wars: in Concert had its world premiere at the 02 Arena in London on April 10 and 11, 2009 as Star Wars: The Musical Journey.

Tour dates continue through December 13th in the U.S., and on March 17, 2010, in Paris, France.

Disclaimer: We attended as guests of Star Wars: In Concert.

All photos copyright J. Voigts