Gallifrey One: Blackjack 21 will continue the long tradition of celebration of all things Doctor Who, Torchwood and the science fiction media genre. Our program and schedule of activities, which has helped us develop a proud reputation for fun and enjoyment over the years, will be no less than at our previous events... and we're just getting started! Here's a quick look at what you might expect at Gallifrey 2010 at this early stage, although we do warn you that things might change closer to the convention.

Of course, we're always happy to hear your suggestions! Contact us via email if you have anything to suggest for this year... we're always interested in fun new panel discussion ideas and other activities.

A Tribute to Barry Letts

Gallifrey One: Blackjack 21 is dedicated to the memory of Barry Letts, the former producer of Doctor Who and guest of two prior Gallifrey One events (1994 and 2005). Barry, who guided the series through one of its most successful periods alongside writer/script editor Terrance Dicks and the wonderful "family" of actors of the time -- Jon Pertwee, Katy Manning, Caroline John, Nicholas Courtney, John Levene, Richard Franklin and Roger Delgado -- always embraced his legacy with the series, and stayed a favorite of fans everywhere for many years thereafter. His loss in October 2009 was a dark day for all Doctor Who fans worldwide, and this year, Gallifrey One will honor his memory with a tribute to his time on the series, memories from some of the actors who worked with him, and a video retrospective.

Main Events and Interviews

Gallifrey 2010 will feature appearances by our guests on each of the three days of the convention. Our guests of honor will appear each day, both in solo appearances as well as together; they'll also be autographing all three days. Check your program at the door for time and date. Keep in mind, however, that due to the vast amount of programming Gallifrey One presents every year, it is very unlikely that any panel will be repeated exactly as-is, meaning the only way to see everything is to attend the entire convention.

Some of the presentations we do are straight question and answer sessions that start and run through with audience participation; others are formal interview sessions with headliner guests (usually reserved for Saturday afternoon) with some time at the end left for questions from the audience. There are also presentations from people like our guests from Big Finish Productions, as well as recording sessions such as the annual Sunday recording for "Doctor Who Podshock" that is then brought to their podcast audience.

Every year, Gallifrey One presents our traditional Opening Ceremonies on Friday at 6:00pm; this is a chance to be formally introduced to our headliner guests and enjoy a photo opportunity. Likewise, Sunday afternoon at 6:00pm is the final event of the weekend, Closing Ceremonies, one last chance to visit with the guests.

There are also other events scattered throughout the weekend, as you'll see from the sections that follow.

Autograph Sessions and Photo Studio

Autograph sessions will take place with all major guests every day of the convention in our autograph studio. Lines do tend to form and on Saturday and Sunday, they can get rather extensive, so we invite you to plan ahead.

Doctor Who celebrities brought over from the UK will sign items brought by attendees; some bring photographs and other memorabilia to sign (which are available for purchase). Local guests, however, such as actors who live in Los Angeles who may have their own tables in our dealers room, may charge for autographing as well: this is standard in the industry, and this is the only recompense they enjoy when coming to a Gallifrey One convention. Please note that Gallifrey One limits signatures to two items per person in order to accommodate everyone; if you want more signed, you will have to return at a later autograph session.

Gallifrey One's Photo Studio will also take place during the weekend at a time and date to be announced soon. This is a chance to get your picture taken with our main headliner guests. There will be separate autograph sessions on the same day. Gallifrey One's Photo Studio is not a formal photo session. Instead, it is simply a photo opportunity... our guests will be together, and fans line up to have their pictures taken. You can either have someone take your digital photo (it will be posted on the web some time after the convention) or use your own camera... it's completely up to you. It's important to be there as once we finish with the line, we WILL close the session down. Gallifrey One is NOT responsible if we run out of people in line and you arrive late thinking the photo studio is still going strong.

Finally, please note... for 2010, the autograph sessions and photo studio are being located in a new, larger area of the Marriott Hotel on the main hotel floor above the rest of the convention, in the Meridian Conference Center (the hallway to which is located right off the main lobby between the Champions Sports Bar and the hotel restaurant.) This is allowing us to expand our program space and give more flexibility to our autographs department, and we hope you bear with us!

Live Commentaries

What has now become a tradition at Gallifrey One will continue: live commentary sessions with guests from Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, taking place in either the main ballroom or our "second stage" area. These are wonderful opportunities to hear actors, writers, producers and directors comment on their work, along with a moderator; as such, it is necessary that you will have seen the material beforehand, as the volume of the production in question is set very low. We ask that, during live commentaries, audience members keep their comments to a minimum.

Programming Tracks and Discussion Panels

Attendees to Gallifrey One have come to enjoy a very diverse selection of programming over the years, and 2010 will be no exception. In addition to the Q&A sessions and interviews that take place in the main ballroom, we feature lectures from industry pros and insiders; a science program track featuring several scientific guests talking about things such as spaceflight and solar system exploration; roundtable discussions with guests about their work; and video presentations featuring tributes to Doctor Who days of yesteryear hosted by our own Eric Hoffman.

One of the most popular parts of Gallifrey One, however, is our discussion panel program. On each of the three days of the convention, we present a variety of programs and discussions featuring authors and other speakers as well as fan panelists addressing topics on Doctor Who, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and a variety of science fiction genre related issues. We also pride ourselves on the fact that there is always at least one Doctor Who related panel or Q&A event every hour of the day during programming hours, and sometimes more! Our discussion panel topic list for Gallifrey 2010 includes:

• Coming Attractions: What To Expect from Series Five -- Spoiler-phobes, this isn't for you... we go in-depth into what's known (and rumored) about the forthcoming fifth series of Doctor Who with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan. Our panel will attempt to sift through the rumors and find out some cool things about the next season!
• Dear Mr. Moffat… -- It's a new age, with a new showrunner and a new cast. We have a lot of faith in the future, obviously, but what are some of the things we really hope new executive producer Steven Moffat pulls off in his tenure over the series?
• Life On Earth Can Be an Adventure, Too -- What is the appeal of "The Sarah Jane Adventures," beyond the simple fact that it's a spinoff of Doctor Who? How successful is it in both telling stories as well as connecting with its target audience of young fans? And how has it done disconnecting itself from the Doctor Who mythology?
• Where in the Hell Can Torchwood Go From Here? -- That season finale at the end of "Children of Earth" left things in a bit of a state, didn't it? With only two major players left from the original gang, and a handful of recurring/supporting characters to potentially choose from, where can Torchwood go from here?
• Your Greatest Moments in Doctor Who History -- The regenerations? Great triumphs of good over evil? Or maybe just that scene where he pulled a jelly baby out of the pack... Everyone has their favorite moments in Doctor Who, classic or new series, and our panel will come up with some of the best ones.
• The Revolution Will Be Tweeted -- Social networking is making a huge impact on the way fans react to our television series, especially the instant gratification reactions we see every day on Twitter, Facebook, Livejournal and the rest of the blogosphere. Our panel will discuss how this impacts the way we enjoy our TV shows.
• It's The End, But The Moment Has Been Prepared For: Fan Reactions to Character Deaths -- Want to make a bold statement on your television series? Kill a major character. It happened this summer on Torchwood, and it might as well have happened at the end of the last season of Doctor Who. And it's not just UK TV either; it seems to be a staple on US television. Why do fans react so strongly?
• Reanimating Doctor Who -- With so much of Doctor Who's past still lost to us, but with audio clips of everything still available, it seems a logical next step would be to animate the missing episodes. Is this feasible? Or necessary? What would be the benefit of reanimating all the lost Doctor Who episodes, how successful could it be, and what steps have been taken to test the waters?
• Chicks Dig Time Lords -- It seems the ladies have this thing for the Doctor... not to mention, Captain Jack, the Master, and the like. But what's the reason for their appeal? The subject has made for a brand-new book, and some of the people involved will join us to talk about why chicks really dig Time Lords.
• Doctor Who Filmmaking on a Budget -- You don't need thousands of dollars and expensive studio equipment to make great Doctor Who fan videos... after all, it's Doctor Who, the most versatile storytelling medium ever undertaken on television. Some of our fan video experts will tell you how you, too, can make a great Doctor Who story in your own backyard.
• What Makes a Successful Podcast -- Anyone can record their voice into a sound file and think that what they have to say sounds interesting. It's a far more difficult thing to actually be interesting and worthwhile, market your podcast, and create a worldwide audience of fans. What are the steps, and the necessities, involved in creating a reputable Doctor Who podcast?
• So You Want to Run a Doctor Who Convention... -- It's not about numbers, it's not about connections, it's not about the cult of personality, and it's not about glory, believe us. It's about creating a Doctor Who convention that people love. Some people involved in creating Doctor Who conventions talk about the trials and tribulations involved.
• Gallifrey 101 -- Is this your first time at the Gallifrey One conventions? In our introductory panel of the weekend (noon Friday), some of our 'old pros' will be on hand to give you pointers about how to maximize your enjoyment of the convention, what to see, where to go, and even how to get yourself more involved!
• Big Finish: The Year in Review -- Our annual round-up of the best (and worst) offerings from Big Finish Productions over the past twelve months, including their regular Doctor Who lines, the new Lost Stories series, the Eighth Doctor & Lucie Miller adventures, the monthly Companion Chronicles, and other stories.
• The Crossplay Equation -- Lots of female fans love dressing up as Captain Jack Harkness. Torchwood has bridged the gender gap, in a fandom that is already quite heavily mixed in the gender pool. We look at some of the more interesting issues of gender, sexuality, costuming and role play, in one of our 2010 late-night (adult) panel events.
• Destiny of the Dollhouse -- Has Joss Whedon created another television series with staying power? After the years of Buffy and Angel, and the underground successes of Firefly, Whedon's back with a surprising second season renewal. How does the show stand up to his other productions? What is the appeal of Dollhouse to fans?
• Star Trek in the Post-Abrams World -- Star Trek is now officially back to being "cool" again, with a movie that broke previous Trek box-office records to nearly universal acclaim. What does this mean for the longtime franchise? Will there be more television series? And does William Shatner really need to appear in the second film?
• Vampires and Werewolves and Ghouls... Oh My! -- It's not just about vampires anymore... if "Twilight" is to be believed, it's also about werewolves. And then there's "Ghost Hunters" chasing ghouls through strange houses. And so much more... the horror/suspense genre is not only just cool today, it's hotter than ever. Our panel will chat about what's hot and what's upcoming.
• Where Galactica Went, Right or Wrong -- It's over except for Caprica; Battlestar Galactica (the new) has come and gone, telling its complete story all wrapped up in a neat package. Or was it? What were the high points of the finale? Where did the series overstep? And was there anything left unwritten when everything was said and done?
• Seventy Years of Marvel Comics -- Hard to believe, but the Marvel Comics genre has been around since 1939. Our panel will look at the world of comics through the Marvel ages, looking at the best and worst the publisher has featured.
• Television in the Age of Hulu -- Did you forget to watch that episode of your favorite TV show last night? Don't want to take a chance on torrenting it from the Internet? Now you can watch it anyway... Hulu's taken off like a rocket, Netflix offers entire seasons on demand, ABC and NBC offer their own repeat broadcasts, and of course there's always YouTube. How is the instantaneous availability of television changing the way we view it?
• Expanding Your Horizons: SF Literature from the Pros -- We hope you're not just reading Doctor Who novels... there's a wealth of great science fiction out there. Some of our attending writers will join us to discuss their favorite science fiction and fantasy books (and maybe some titles beyond the genre), perhaps introducing you to some great writers you aren't familiar with.
• We Can Rebuild It, We Have the Technology: Remaking Books and Comics Into Films (and TV) -- They've made great, and not-so-great, films and TV series from books and comics over the past many decades, and there are a wealth of new ones on the horizon. What are the pitfalls in turning literature into TV shows or movies? What are some great books and/or comics that should be given the treatment?
• The SF TV & Film Year In Review -- A look at the best (and worst) television and film in the SF & fantasy genre from the past year.
• That Iconic Look -- Costume design for lead characters in Television/Film including Dr. Who has been changing over the years to reflect more casual wear look. How has this affected perceptions of these characters? Does this shift make the character look any less iconic? Is cosplay any more effective/noneffective if someone wears a jumper and leather jacket versus a hat and scarf?
• Costuming 101 and Costuming 210 -- A two-part costuming workshop event: one for beginners, to learn the tricks of the trade in getting your Doctor Who, Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures costumes started; and one for more seasoned costumers, to share stories and swap secrets about how to perfect that costume for the Masquerade.
• Cosplay Focus: How To Costume as The Doctor -- Eleven Doctors, not counting any of the ancillary ones... which one do you choose, and why? What are the necessary steps for creating such classic attire? What makes a successful Doctor Who costume? Our cosplayers will discuss the steps to take to recreate the iconic role in costume form.
• Cosplay Focus: Cast and Companion Cosplay -- It's not easy to recreate the Doctor Who companions or Torchwood cast... not only are there some with very specific costume apparel requirements, but even when some of them dress in normal street clothes, it's all about going that extra step and making the character instantly identifiable. What are some of the traits and specifics needed in recreating your favorite cast members and companions from these shows?
• Doctor Who Prop Making 101 -- What to do if you need a trusty Sonic Screwdriver, Cyber Gun, Question Mark Umbrella or Nitro-9 to go with your costume. Approching the world of Dr. Who prop replicas from the found item to custom items.
• So You Want to Be A Doctor Who Monster? -- It takes a lot of effort to come up with a successful Doctor Who monster in costume form... and we're not just talking a mask and a modified voice synthesizer, either. It's part costuming, part prop-making, and part dedication to making something truly unique, from Daleks and Cybermen to sinister green bug-eyed monsters and those creepy spacesuit guys from "Silence of the Library". We'll share some secrets.

Costuming and Cosplay

Costuming and "cosplay" has become a major part of Gallifrey One over the past several years, and 2010 will be no exception!

We are pleased to be bringing back one of the most popular parts of last February's event, with the second appearance of the Gallifrey One Cosplay Hall. This open room will feature costuming demonstrations, workshops and will also function as a central gathering point for cosplayers of all interests. It will also serve as 'grand central' for preparation for the 2010 Masquerade of Mandragora costume presentation (see below), as well as function as the green room for the event, and as a photography studio for costumers too!

We are just getting started with the cosplayers this year and are planning on several great events and activities for costume enthusiasts throughout the convention -- it's one of the fastest growing parts of our event and we plan to make this year very special!

Evening Events

Even though the sun sets, Gallifrey One is still going strong! While our main programming events end at 6:00pm, the evening crew takes over with some fantastic events planned for this year, including:

The Gamble With Time Casino - In keeping with our "blackjack" theme, Gallifrey One presents our 2010 gala event on Friday night (run by the same crew that brought you this past February's toga party)... a Monte Carlo-style casino gaming night (NO MONEY involved whatsoever!!) Come play games of chance and skill such as roulette, craps and blackjack, and as requested by many attendees, visit the Gallifrey 2010 poker tournament (again, no money!)

Mysterious Theatre 337 - The boys from Chicago return for our annual Friday night presentation... think Mystery Science Theatre 3000 done to a classic Doctor Who story and you get this idea. MT337 is a popular event at Chicago area conventions and has become a mainstay at Gallifrey One the past decade; it's a fully scripted presentation (no audience participation, please!) The exact story being skewered will be announced at a later date.

The Masquerade of Mandragora Costume Show - Saturday night's convention centerpiece, the Masque of Mandragora is a full costume presentation featuring splendid work by our costumers with both presentation and flair. We are encouraging more pre-recorded material, putting more microphones on stage to capture sound, and providing a much larger stage to allow costume presentations to do much more. Also, we are delighted to announce that Paul Cornell will once again return with Just a Minute, the 'game show' featuring several of our convention guests, as this year's masquerade 'half-time' presentation while the judges debate their choices for the night's awards.

Gallifrey One's Karaoke Kafe - One of the most popular evening events from the past few years makes another comeback, as we welcome our attendees to a night of karaoke and fun; we'll have a bartender and cash bar on hand, too!

The Vegas in Space Disco - DJ Vasilios Alagiannis returns from his much-lauded presentation at Gallifrey 2009, spinning old favorites and modern tunes all night Saturday night. Come dance until dawn, Gallifrey style!

There will be other events, too! We'll be bringing back our evening adult-themed discussion panels as well as hopefully bringing back our Sing-A-Long (which, sadly, got waylaid this year by a lost DVD disc!)... and maybe a surprise or two!

The Bob May Memorial Charity Auction

One of the most important and prestigious events at Gallifrey One every year is our annual charity auction, and this year will be no exception! Gallifrey One's charity auction is a time-honored event that has raised over $60,000 for charity over the years for some very worthy causes, including the Foundation for the Study of Infant Death, the Downs Syndrome Association, the American Red Cross, the Dyslexia Scholarship Fund, the Hurricane Mitch Disaster Relief Fund, the War Child Charity, the Afghan Women's Mission, the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Association, the Starlight/Starbright Foundation, the American Heart Association, Actors and Others For Animals, and last year's charity, the American Cancer Society.

Since this past year's event, our charity auction has been named in honor of our friend Bob May, the actor best known for playing the Robot on the 1960s television series Lost in Space as well as for many years a participant in the Gallifrey One conventions as a program guest, dealer and auctioneer. Our annual charity auction is now perpetually dedicated to Bob May's memory, with the gracious support of Bob's wife Judy and daughter Deborah.

Our annual Bob May Charity Auction takes place on Sunday starting at 12:00pm. Auction donations are readily accepted at our convention all weekend! Science fiction merchandise and memorabilia of any kind, both new and collectible, are welcome. You can stop by the convention office during the weekend to donate any merchandise; you will receive a statement for your donation.

The Kasterborous Kaffeeklatsches

A new program item for 2010! Gallifrey One will be hosting a brand new "kaffeeklatsch" style event with some of our guests... an opportunity for you to spend an hour with a particular guest in a small, intimate setting of 8 to 10 people, complete with coffee & tea. It's very much an alternative to our Sunday banquet, but will feature only one guest (usually one of our writer guests) discussing their work and answering questions in a small, intimate format. More information and sign-ups will be available later this year.

Children's Program

This past February saw the debut of a children's program room at the Gallifrey One conventions, and it was so popular that we're bringing it back again! It will include some activities for kids as well as visits from our major guests of honor. Our kids did some wonderful stuff including creating their own homemade Doctor Who memorabilia, and so much more! If you're interested in participating or helping out with the kids programming room, please let us know.

Video Program and Fan Video

Gallifrey 2010 will feature over 50 hours of video programming in our video room including classic Doctor Who serials, clip shows, fan videos and other video surprises. We'll have full details for you later in the year.

We also spotlight fan videos at our convention. If you are interested in showing your fan video at Gallifrey 2010, please contact us via email. In addition, because we had some problems this year with our fan video program (due to some technical difficulties on site which caused some delays, and probably emptied the room a bit), we will hopefully be screening all of 2009's fan videos again at our 2010 event.

Hospitality Suite

The Con Suite will be open throughout the weekend once again. Snacks, soft drinks and pleasant conversation abound with fellow fans starting Friday afternoon and running throughout the duration of the convention (usually open until the wee hours of the morning each night!) Gallifrey's hospitality suite is currently looking for volunteers to help out, so enquire with the convention if you are interested!

Guest of Honor Banquet

As long-time attendees of our convention will know, our Sunday morning guest of honor brunch banquet is the only thing at our convention that we charge a separate fee for (and that's just to cover food). Normally we put tickets for the banquet (which has a very limited attendance) on sale at the convention, but in an effort to open things up to everyone including people who didn't have the opportunity to pre-register for 2010 at our 2009 event, we're going to conduct a lottery-style selection at some point during 2009. Interested parties can enter with their attendance name and will receive admission priority to the banquet for themselves and a guest. We'll keep you posted so you don't miss out; more details coming later in the year!