THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 3, 1994 TAG: 9406010154
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940603 LENGTH: Medium
Has the Chesapeake Central Library gone crazy?
{REST} Just science-fiction crazy as it presents its first-ever Science Fiction Week, beginning with a special Monday evening concert.
In the past, library planners have organized a Romance Book Week and a Mystery Book Week, in order to reach out and appeal to adult readers. This time they're turning their attention to one of the most popular of all reading genres, science fiction.
To kick things off in a tuneful manner, organizers have scheduled an appearance by the Hampton Roads-based Prelude Woodwind Quintet, a Young Audiences performing ensemble.
The concert will be sponsored by the Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission.
The group will beam down to the library at 298 Cedar Road for its 7 p.m. concert, ``Star Trek: Mission to the Planet Tempo. Featuring Songs of the Stratosphere.''
Its members will perform in full Star Trek uniform and in character, said Elizabeth Griffing, reference librarian and one of the Science Fiction Week organizers.
``I don't know exactly what they will play, but they will perform music with a science fiction theme,'' Griffing said. ``We asked them to be creative, and they said they will think as wildly as possible. We could get anything from the Star Trek and Star Wars themes to `The Planets' and `Twinkle Little Star.' ''
The group has been performing with Young Audiences for a dozen years and is led by horn player Marlene Ford, one of the ensemble's co-founders.
Rounding out the quintet are flutist Lori Shipley, oboist Gary Smith, clarinetist Scott Boyer and bassoonist Maty Paula Young.
The following evening, the Hampton Roads Science Fiction Association will present ``Stars In Our Eyes: Science Fiction Fans Look At Books.''
Griffing said group members will introduce themselves, talk about the organization and then discuss particular authors and books that caused members to be hooked by the genre of science fiction. In addition, members will also talk about new and upcoming writers and titles worth noticing followed by a question-and-answer period.
If you're a Trekkie, Thursday's program is just for you. Beginning at 6 p.m., the library will host a Star Trek mini-convention.
Featured at the event will be several local Star Trek organizations including the USS Maat and USS Powhatan Federation groups, the IKV Bat-Lath Klingon group and the RUF, or Romulan Universal Force group. Several members from the Peninsula-based USS Jamestown group are also scheduled to appear.
Griffing said the Trekkies will come in costume and character and are scheduled to bring along their convention displays and exhibits featuring a host of Star Trek and Next Generation reference books, souvenirs and memorabilia.
During the week, Griffing said the library will exhibit several science fiction book displays and offer a display case full of science fiction memorabilia on loan from library staff members and Hampton Roads Science Fiction Association members.
The library will also have free science fiction bibliographies available and will display several sci-fi trivia poster puzzles throughout the building.
Those attending the Monday concert, should check out the person sitting in the next seat. He may be out of this world.
``I believe several members of different Star Trek groups will be in costume in the audience on Monday,'' Griffing said, ``so you might be sitting next to a Klingon.''
by CNB