ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - The City of Roanoke announced ticket information on Tuesday for actor George Takei's event in May.
The event, which will be sponsored by the City of Roanoke and hosted by Local Colors of Western Virginia, will be held at the Jefferson Center's Shaftman Performance Hall on Wednesday, May 4, at 6:30 p.m.
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Takei will lead a discussion called "An Evening with George Takei: On Diversity and Inclusion."
The actor's visit comes several months after Roanoke Mayor David Bowers made controversial statements regarding Syrian refugees and the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. In a statement released in November, Bowers said in part, "I'm reminded that President Franklin D. Roosevelt felt compelled to sequester Japanese foreign nationals after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and it appears that the threat of harm to America from Isis now is just as real and serious as that from our enemies then."
Takei, a Japanese-American who was sent to a prison camp for four years during WWII, responded to Bowers' letter on Facebook and the post went viral.
Here's the complete release with ticket information for Takei's event:
Jefferson Center's Shaftman Performance Hall has been selected as the location for "An Evening With George Takei: On Diversity and Inclusion," which will be sponsored by the City of Roanoke and hosted by Local Colors of Western Virginia on Wednesday, May 4.
Beginning March 15, the public is invited to contact the Jefferson Center Box Office at 345-2550 to reserve tickets; two free tickets will be allotted per caller. All tickets are reserved seating, and will be available for pick up on the day of the event, May 4, beginning at 8 a.m. Attendees must claim their tickets and be seated by 6:15 p.m. A standby line will be permitted, and all unclaimed tickets will be distributed after 6:15 p.m. There will be no late seating.
The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. After the event, a Book/CD Signing will be held in the LL Rice Room on the second floor, across from Shaftman Performance Hall. Mr. Takei will only sign materials purchased that evening.
For more information, contact the city's Office of Communications at 853-6357 or communications@roanokeva.gov.