A musical parody of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is officially slated for a five-week off-Broadway run later this year.
Per Gizmodo, Khan!!! The Musical! A Parody Trek-Tacular debuts at the Players Theatre in New York City this May. The play, of course, gets its name from the Wrath of Khan scene in which Capt. James T. Kirk angrily shouts "Khan!" -- which has become arguably the most iconic and recognizable line from the entire Star Trek franchise.
Khan!!! The Musical! is co-written, composed and features lyrics by Brent Black. It also features additional materials by Alina Morgan, who co-conceived the play. John Lampe serves as director. An official synopsis for Khan!!! The Musical! reads as follows: "It is 2366, and Data the Android presents his campy musical adaptation of The Wrath of Khan. In this sci-fi send-up, an older Captain Kirk is experiencing a 'coming of middle age' story when his nemesis Khan escapes exile and vows revenge. The ensuing cat-and-mouse game sparks an adventure that includes Vulcan tap dancing, Kirk's long-lost son (a William Shatner impersonator), and of course... mutant space chickens!"
"Something about a Wrath of Khan musical kept nagging at me, eventually my friend Alina came up with the idea that the musical itself could be a simulation within the universe of Star Trek, which led to the concept of Data the Android presenting a 'holographic' musical that he programmed himself," Black said. "A lot of episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation feature storylines where Data has to learn something through trial and error, usually going a little too far or taking things a bit too literally; the idea that he would write a musical after studying classic Broadway shows of the past opened the concept of the show even wider to include sendups of classic musicals.
"A big part of why I like Star Trek is how it imagines a future where humans set their differences aside and work together for the greater good," Black continued. "Star Trek has always been ahead of the curve in terms of inclusivity and representation, and it's nice that this campy comedy show still maintains the spirit of that future Gene Roddenberry envisioned when he created the original TV show."
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Turns 41 in 2023
The Wrath of Khan celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, having originally released in theaters on June 4, 1982. The film is a sequel to 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture, though can perhaps more accurately be described as a follow-up to "Space Seed," a seminal episode of Star Trek: The Original Series from 1967. "Space Seed" introduced audiences to Khan Noonien Singh, a genetic superhuman who attempts to take control of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Khan is thwarted by Capt. Kirk, who exiles Khan and his people to the planet Ceti Alpha V. Wrath of Khan revisits this story, chronicling Khan's quest for revenge against Kirk and his comrades. The franchise later revisited the conflict between Khan and the crew of the Enterprise in the 2013 film Star Trek Into Darkness (albeit with Spock delivering the "Khan!" line this time around).
Khan!!! The Musical! A Parody Trek-Tacular will be at the Players Theatre in New York City from May 4 to June 4. More information regarding the play can be found at KhanIsComing.com.
Source: Gizmodo