A night at the symphony and a night with the kids are mutually exclusive ways to spend an evening, right?

Well, they were until now. On April 26, the Columbus Symphony and Otterbein Vocal Ensemble are bringing Video Games Live to Columbus. The show will feature musical content from a wide range of classic and contemporary video games including Mario, Zelda, Sonic, Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid.

The show is not limited to music alone. Video clips will accompany many of the songs as well as special effects ranging from laser shows to fog.

In addition, there will be live action on the stage with actors dressed up as some of the more popular characters.

According to Tony Beadle, executive director of the Columbus Symphony, the show is part of a broader attempt by the symphony to reach different audiences. Earlier this year they performed a Barbie concert as well as a recreation of the original Phantom of the Opera movie, which is silent and accompanied by the opera.

“The idea behind this is to let the public know that the symphony is able to reach new and different audiences with different products,” says Beadle. “We’ve got different things up our sleeves here.”

The event will also feature activities, including a costume contest, game competitions and prizes, which will precede the concert itself. Patrons will also be able to meet the founders of Video Games Live, Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall.

Tallarico has worked on over 300 titles including the Earthworm Jim games and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. Wall’s resume includes the Myst series and Splinter Cell. Together they founded Video Games Live in 2005, and have performed in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, England and New Zealand.

Pre-concert activities start at 6:30 and the concert begins at 7:30 at The Ohio State University’s Mershon Auditorium. Tickets range from $35-65. For more information, check online at www.ColumbusSymphony.com.