On Saturday, April 18th, legendary actor and icon of television and cinema William Shatner will be bringing his Wrath of Khan tour to Memorial Auditorium in Downtown Chattanooga.
The show promises to provide a special evening where arguably the best film in the series, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, will be screened for audiences before Mr. Shatner himself steps on stage for an interactive night where he will take fan questions, share behind-the-scenes stories from set, and, with certain packages, take photos and sign autographs after the event with fans.
Mr. Shatner is best known for his signature role as James T. Kirk, the charming and bold captain of the USS Enterprise in both Star Trek: The TV Series and the films, though he has done several other projects over the years, including major roles on TV shows like Boston Legal and T.J. Hooker and in films like Miss Congeniality and The Intruder.
The legendary actor is also known for his signature voice and personality that have become ingrained in pop culture, with his trademark skips, unusual rhythms, and pauses while talking. There is a theatricality to his voice and personality that has made him one of the most iconic voices in film and television history, coupled with his incredible acting ability.
I got to experience his signature voice and personality in real time as I had the honor to speak with Mr. Shatner. We discussed his views on humanity after going to space, what Star Trek has done for his career, and what he is currently working on, as well as what he has planned for the foreseeable future. Heads up, he has no plans of slowing down.
Mr. Shatner is still sharp as ever at 95 years of age, and when I asked him about his 2021 trip to space, where he flew aboard New Shepard, a spacecraft developed by Blue Origin, he mentioned feeling sadness upon touching down and total awe at what we humans have done.
“When I was up in space and saw this tiny little rock, I could see a third of the earth in its horizon, and I thought, My god, how little time it took to complete this rock that we all live on. When you think of the magic of human beings, their sense of consciousness, and our awareness, our religious ideas, and the advances we’re making in science, we’re an unusual species that came out of the tree with primitive ideas, and the problem now is that mankind lasts long enough to reap the benefits of his intelligence.
That’s what I thought of when I was up in space. When I landed, I found myself weeping uncontrollably, and I didn’t understand why. And then I realized it was grief because I saw more emphatically than ever before the vulnerability of earth, and I was in grief for our beloved planet.”
When discussing the vision of hope and optimism that Star Trek predicts for the future of humanity and the planet, and if we’re moving closer or further away from that vision, Mr. Shatner mentioned that he believes there is both destruction and hope in science.
“I think we’re moving equally quickly in both directions. There is destruction as we just discussed: the environment is trembling on the edge. The incredible advent of scientific knowledge and the scientific principles we are discovering. All the new scientific advances are remarkable in the discovery of the mystery out there waiting to be discovered. I don’t believe we’ll ever discover the end of the mystery, but the mystery of existence and of consciousness are all there to be explored if we can just live long enough.”
When asked if, after all these years playing James T. Kirk, he still feels like he is trying to escape the character or if he has made peace with the idea that Captain Kirk will always be a part of him, he detailed how grateful he was for the show, and that he largely credits the series for allowing him the entertainment career he has had.
“If I hadn’t been able to work after the show was cancelled, I might have felt that way, but I have done many things that are creative and different, all because people who wanted to hire me were looking at my popularity in Star Trek. I’m writing albums and books now. I’ve got a show on the air called The Unexplained, and now I’m doing this tour. I’ll do ten to twelve cities and bring what we talked about to other audiences. I’m doing another book on Star Trek, and I’m going to do a theater performance with Neil deGrasse Tyson. I’m very, very busy, and it’s all due to the success of Star Trek.”
William Shatner, Live on Stage with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
- Saturday, April 18. 7 p.m.
- $42-$188.
- Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. Chattanooga
- tivolichattanooga.com