'Star Trek' actor delighted about role in Rep's 'Seafarer'

Talk about making a deep, lasting impression. When actor Armin Shimerman saw Conor McPherson's "The Seafarer" on Broadway two years ago, he called his agent with a request he'd never made before.
"I was just blown away by it," recalled Shimerman, a respected Shakespearean actor who is better known to TV audiences as Principal Snyder on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and Quark on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." "It's wonderfully humorous, with hints of the supernatural and a theme of redemption. I told my agent that I wanted to do this show and asked him to find me a production. I'd never done that before. But I knew this was something that I had to do. This show is just so superbly written."

When Shimerman discovered that the San Diego Repertory Theatre had scheduled a production, it seemed like the perfect fit. A few years ago, he'd played the Fool in a Rep production of "King Lear." But Shimerman discovered that the role he wanted in "The Seafarer" had already been taken.

"Originally, I wanted to play the devil," he said. "What actor wouldn't want to play the devil? But Sam (Woodhouse, the Rep's artistic director) is playing that role, so I'm playing Richard."

Set in a coastal suburb north of Dublin, the story involves four friends who get together on Christmas Eve to play a little poker. But it turns out that a guest of one of the friends is actually the devil in disguise.

The main relationship is between James "Sharkey" Harkin and his aging and blind brother, Richard. Sharkey is trying not to drink this night, despite a lifetime as an alcoholic, while Richard likes to drink hard and push all of his brother's buttons.

"I have a brother," said Shimerman, who got his start at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre when fresh out of college. "Our relationship is not similar to this one, but the show is about our relationships with our families ---- something McPherson explores with pathos and humor."

The show's supernatural element is nothing new to him after years in the "Buffy" and "Star Trek" universes. He says that it's not a coincidence that many actors who appear in science fiction or fantasy stories often have an extensive background in Shakespeare.

"Most of the actors who were on 'Star Trek' were classically trained," said Shimerman, who helps run the Antaeus Company, a theater and acting academy in North Hollywood devoted to classical theater. "There are similar themes, such as the fate of worlds and questions of the cosmos ---- those are things that science fiction addresses. It takes an actor who has that imagination and facility of language to act. And the facility for language is necessary for this play as well."

Perhaps that is because of the poetic Irish phrasing that McPherson uses in his works. But Shimerman believes that ultimately it's the play's themes that make it special.

"It's just a magnificent play," he said. "It's about hitting rock bottom and being reborn. The play will stick with people for weeks, if not months. Audiences will be moved in different ways, just as I was when I first saw it. It's a joy to work on."

Trek creator honored by TV Hall of Fame

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry is to be honored by the TV Academy Hall of Fame 18 years after his death and 40 years since the original series of Star Trek came to an end in America. Roddenberry’s creation launched in 1966 in America but struggled with ratings and was cancelled in 1969 but has since become a cult hit. The original series is routinely repeated across the world and has also been released on DVD. Following in the footsteps of the original Star Trek were several television spin-offs; Animated series, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and prequel series Enterprise.

Star Trek has also flourished on film as well with 1979’s The Motion Picture re-launching the series as a viable and successful franchise. Since then there’s been a string of sequels working their way through to, in the 1990’s, the cast of The Next Generation. Last year Star Trek’s film franchise was rebooted with the hugely successful movie which reworked Trek history with a brand new cast playing the iconic characters of the original series. Despite Star Trek’s popularity and longevity Gene Roddenberry was not honored by the TV Hall of Fame during his life. Star Trek was not the only television series he created with Andromeda and Earth: Final Conflict amongst his other shows. Roddenberry passed away 18 years ago and nearly two decades later he’s finally being honored.

His widow, Majel Roddenberry-Garrett, passed away last year. Majel was known as the ‘first lady’ of Star Trek by the show’s fans and was involved in every incarnation of the franchise. In the original series she played Nurse Chappel, a role she reprised for several of the films. In Next Generation and Deep Space Nine she played the recurring character of Lwaxana Troi and was also the voice of the ship’s computers in the films and television shows. Before she passed away she once again provided the voice of the ship’s computer for the Star Trek movie.

ASK MR. KNOW-IT-ALL: A life as big as Texas

QUESTION: I saw a movie from the 1940s in which Betty Hutton played Texas Guinan. She sang in a nightclub and always started her act by saying, "Hello, suckers." If you know anything about this film, I would appreciate any information. I've looked for it for many years. - C.L., Paxton, Ill.

ANSWER: The movie is titled ``Incendiary Blonde'' (1945). Mary Louise Cecilia "Texas" Guinan, played by Betty Hutton in the film, was born on Jan. 12, 1884, in Waco, Texas; she died at the early age of 49 in 1933. In between, she lived a fascinating life. She studied music and became a vaudeville singer, actor and chorus girl. She appeared in silent movies and later talkies. With the beginning of Prohibition in 1920, she seized the opportunity and opened a speakeasy - the 300 Club - in New York City. Her club became the place for anyone who was someone. With her new career, she hobnobbed with the rich and famous as well as notorious gangsters. She amassed a fortune but lost most of it during the Great Depression. She formed another act and went on the road, but while in Vancouver, British Columbia, in November 1933, she became ill and died, one month before the end of Prohibition.

QUESTION: Is Robert Culp from the 1960s ``I Spy'' TV series still living? He was always a favorite of mine. - D.C., Hamburg, Pa.

ANSWER: Robert Martin Culp entered the world on Aug. 16, 1930, in Oakland, Calif. His career has spanned more than 50 years, but he is possibly best known for his role as Kelly Robinson on ``I Spy'' (1965 to 1968). His latest film, ``The Assignment,'' is in postproduction and scheduled for release this year. While his performances have been mostly in television, he has also appeared in many films and has worked as a screenwriter and director.

QUESTION: I would like to know whatever became of actress Terry Farrell. Since leaving the sitcom ``Becker,'' she seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. Where did she go? - J.B., Peoria, Ill.

ANSWER: Since her role as Reggie Kostas on ``Becker,'' she hasn't been in many mainstream productions. She is living in Hershey, Pa., with her husband, Brian Baker, and their son. Baker is best known as the commercial spokesperson for the cell-phone company Sprint. In February of this year, they appeared onstage together in the Hershey Area Playhouse production of ``Love Letters.'' A note to ``Star Trek'' fans: Farrell played the role of Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax in ``Star Trek: Deep Space Nine '' during the 1990s.

QUESTION: An avid bear collector, I have many Boyds Bears. I'm curious - who or what is Boyd? - B.K., Wall, S.D.

ANSWER: Gary Lowenthal and his wife, Justina Unger, founded Boyds Bears. They had been running an antique shop but found it difficult locating better-quality antiques, so they began making reproductions. They produced their first bear for their newborn son. Knowing a good thing when they saw it (as the saying goes), they began selling stuffed bears named for the town of Boyds, Md., where they lived and operated their business.

QUESTION: What is rose gold? I've seen it, but how is it created? - J.S., Palm Springs, Calif.

ANSWER: Pure gold, which is 24-carat gold, is soft and a bright-yellow color. Traditionally, other metals are combined with gold to give it strength and color. Rose gold - also referred to as red or pink gold - occurs when copper is combined with the gold, giving it a rosy color. The amount of copper added to the alloy determines the intensity of color; the more copper, the more red the color of the gold.

Confessions of a science fiction junkie

I love science fiction. It's what I grew up watching.

I had "Sesame Street" in the morning, "Batman" in the afternoons and, once a week, an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

When I watched Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew walk around on the Enterprise bridge, I didn't understand 90 percent of what was going on, but I'll be damned if it didn't look awesome to my 6-year-old mind.

Let me be clear - I am a fan, not a fanatic.

I have never attended a Star Trek convention, I will not run errands in a Jedi robe, and I refuse to debate whether the new Cylons can win a fight against Jaffa warriors.

Then again, I can do the Vulcan salute, I readily fantasize about bisecting annoying people with a lightsaber, and I have used the word "frak" as an expletive in real life.

The new fall television season started in September, and I've found that all these shows I have loved are back in my life - shows such as "Heroes," "Dollhouse" and "Fringe."

They came back from wherever they went for the summer and brought back new buddies - "Stargate: Universe," "Flash Forward" and "V."

These shows are my drugs, but I can't seem to get a fix.

I lay awake at night, and when I'm not worrying about an interview or my next assignment, I worry about what's happening to my characters.

What improbably gruesome death did the cheerleader suffer today?

Who crossed the wrong wires and blew up half a star system this week?

Curse my calendar's sudden but inevitable betrayal!

I used to be able to make time to watch any shows I wanted, but now I have hardly any time at all.

Instead of watching majestic and badass-looking starships zoom through the vastness of space, I have to make do with Korean dramas, cop shows and reality television.

What's all the more galling is the fact that none of this was unexpected.

Time-wise, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. I knew what kind of time investment I would have to make to keep up with my work and all my classes, and yet the time I allotted was not enough.

I swear, by Grabthar's hammer and the sons of Warvan, I will watch my shows on Hulu!

I suppose if my timetable stays the way it is, I'm going to need a support group to help me kick this TV-watching habit.

I can imagine how that scenario would play out.

The room is empty when I walk in, save for a circle of chairs facing inward.

I take a seat and wait for others to arrive, using the time to indulge all of my nervous tics - crossing and uncrossing my legs and pulling my cell phone out of my pocket to check the time without ever really looking at it.

The others file in slowly, most alone or in pairs, plus an occasional group of people who I assume met outside.

Most are dressed in street clothes like I am, but there are a few standouts that make me smile in spite of myself.

There is a man and woman in tan and brown robes with short tubes attached to their belts, a tall man with a heavily ridged forehead wearing metal and leather armor, and a quartet of soldiers with pyramid patches on their arms.

Taking a sip from a water bottle I brought with me, I stand and clear my throat to speak.

"Hi, my name is Ryan, and I'm a science fiction fan."

Reprinting from http://media.www.thespartandaily.com/, wrote by Ryan Fernandez.

If SciFi Gadgets Were Real. . .

Mish, Mish Sci Fi Musings: If I could have the ability of one of my favorite sci-fi characters and join them in their world on one of their adventures, I would choose DAX from “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” I would love to be joined with a symbiont of several hundred years of life experiences like Jadzia Dax who has a symbiont with over 300 years worth of life experience in science, music, as a pilot, and even knowing the mind of a murderer, and yet have the body of a sexy 28 year old, what a deal! With that level of experience and wisdom in so many different aspects of life, I imagine the conversation I could have with Dax would be interesting, very deep, never dull, and then we could hit the Holosuite for some Klingon martial arts action! Now that would be my idea of a fun adventure.

Barry Robb, Webmaster/Producer, The Ugly Couch Show: As a former employee of “Star Trek: The Experience,” I’ve had the opportunity to think about that question for many years and answer it in many ways for thousands of guests. I would walk on the bridge, through the corridors of the Enterprise and around the promenade of Deep Space Nine and have to incorporate the science fiction directly and seamlessly into our reality for the guests. Based on what I’ve heard and the scenarios I’ve seen acted out, in addition to my own geekery for all science fiction properties, I’ve have to say that I would most like to have the gadgetry of the “Star Trek” universe at my disposal. Of all the science fiction properties, there seems to be the least suffering and discomfort in the “Star Trek” universe, and very little supernatural threats, since it’s based in our reality (unlike “Star Wars,” where we have The Force to contend with). Also, I hate driving and would use the transporter to go everywhere.

Where no fans have gone before

Terry Erdmann and Paula Block became Trekkies almost by accident.

The Jacksonville couple recently left long careers in the entertainment business in Los Angeles, during which time they both found themselves transported into the vast, complex Star Trek universe.
Erdmann worked as a publicist for Paramount Pictures and was assigned to the set of "Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier."

"I spent every minute on that set," Erdmann said. "After that, I became Paramount's Star Trek person. In the entertainment business, when you do one thing, you suddenly become an expert on it."

Block, who worked at Paramount's licensing department, joined Erdmann on the Star Trek set.

Soon, the pair were assigned to write a companion book for the "Star Trek: Deep Space 9" series.

More Star Trek-themed books followed and suddenly they morphed into Trek experts.

You want proof? Their work is cited on several Star Trek Wikipedia pages including the entry dedicated to one Capt. James T. Kirk.

"Appearing at the bottom of Wikipedia articles about Star Trek was an experience," Block said. "You know you've made it when that happens."

Though the couple have an office packed with Trek memorabilia and refer to William Shatner as "Bill," they described themselves as enthusiastic, but not obsessive, Trek fans.

"It's not that we don't love Star Trek, we do," Block said. "But I'd say we're more entertainment industry fans."

In addition to the Star Strekbooks, they have written companion pieces to shows such as "Monk" and "The 4400" as well as for major Hollywood films, including "The Last Samurai."

But their Trek books remain the most popular, according buyer feedback posted on Amazon.

'We read everything our critics have to say," Block said. "It's nice to hear when people enjoy something you've done."

It's not easy to please Trek fans, Block said.

"If you say something incorrect in a Star Trek book you will get hate mail," Block said. "You must be accurate."

Their latest project is a primer book titled "Star Trek 101: A Practical Guide to Who, What, Where and Why."

The book is geared toward the causal Trek fan, who might feel daunted by the show's sprawling mythology.

"This book is for the sister of a Star Trek fan," Block said. "It will get her up to speed so she can talk with a huge fan."

Block says Star Trek fans are a misunderstood lot, stereotyped as social rejects who live in their parents' basements.

"We've been to sci-fi conventions and met Star Trek fans who are nuclear engineers and pilots," Block said. "For the most part, they are such friendly, passionate people. What sets them apart is their love for a show set in space."

Block blames the media for misrepresenting Trek fans.

"When the TV stations show up to conventions they ignore all the normal-looking people and focus on the one person wearing fake ears," Block said. "Yes, some of them are wearing costumes, a red shirt with a gold medal over the heart, but by golly, these people are smart."

They appreciate Trek's ability to tackle serious social issues in the guise of sci-fi entertainment.

"Star Trek was always about something important," Block said. "It approached subjects like race, Vietnam and gender issues in intelligent ways."

The couple cites "Deep Space 9" as their favorite Trek spin-off series. They also were fans of this summer's big-budget remake directed by JJ Abrams. They wrote a glowing review of the film in the Jacksonville Review.

Though the life of the freelance writer can be hurried and stressful, the duo seem to enjoy pounding out hundreds of thousands of words about Star Trek.
Sometimes, though, the assignments are as daunting as taking on a Klingon Bird-of-Prey.

They scored a gig writing trivia cards for a Star Trek board game. The company ordered 1,000 cards and set a 10-day deadline.

"We had to produce one trivia question and answer every four minutes to meet the deadline," Block said. "We got it done, and found time to eat and sleep."
Some of their favorite Trek memories come from the time they've spent with those who played the iconic characters.

"For the most part, they are the nicest people," Erdmann said. "You can't help but like Bill Shatner. He loves joking around and is the first one to laugh at himself."

Her days in the product licensing department at Paramount put Block in humourous situations with Trek stars.

One time she was overseeing a series of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" comic books and was faced with concerns from Patrick Stewart, who played Capt. Jean-Luc Picard.

"He was disturbed by the artist's rendition of his head," Block said, laughing. "He though it looked too large and round."

A page from the comic hangs beside their writing desk. The panels shows a Picard drawing with a slightly smaller melon. Above the picture, Stewart wrote, "Nice head!"

"It was so refreshing to work with show business people who didn't take themselves too seriously," Block said.

The couple remains mum on whether a new Trek book brewing.

"We don't like to jinx things by talking about them," Block said.

For now, they will continue to hustle for jobs and enjoy their new home in Jacksonville, which they share with two lively collies.

"We do enjoy it, but Star Trek isn't the center of our lives," Erdmann said. "Our dogs are the focus of our lives."

NASA's new rocket boldy carries a little Star Trek design

Positioned under a large American flag decal and below the NASA insignia on the side of NASA’s Ares I-X test flight are three emblems designed for the space agency by graphic artist Mike Okuda, who is perhaps best known for his design work on the "Star Trek" television series..
As a technical consultant and scenic artist, Okuda has designed the computer displays screens, some spaceships and other technology for four TV shows and six feature films, including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and Enterprise. He was recognized for his work with three Emmy nominations."

Though not the first of his emblems to fly on a real spacecraft, Ares I-X will be the first vehicle to fly emblazoned with Okuda's Constellation, Ares and Ares I-X logos.

"I can't tell you how proud it makes me to help represent all the men and women who have worked so hard on this program and this flight test," shared Okuda in an e-mail to collectSPACE. "Honestly, I never expected to see any of these emblems on actual flight hardware, and it was a real thrill when I first learned that they'd be on this vehicle."

While the other logos may go on to fly on other rockets, at the bottom of the line of emblems is the blue, red, yellow, gold and white insignia that Okuda specifically designed for Ares I-X.

"The emblem is an attempt to illustrate the tremendous propulsive power required for space flight," he said of his design, which features a view from below Ares I-X as it lifts off. "[It] is intended to resemble the Ares project logo. However, the Ares I-X mission patch uses a circular background shape, to distinguish it from the rounded triangle used for the various [other] Constellation program emblems."