William Shatner

WHEELING – Earthlings in the Ohio Valley will have an opportunity to enjoy a rare treat Sunday evening, when the one and only William Shatner beams down to the Capitol Theatre for a special appearance in Wheeling.

The legendary actor will man the bridge for a screening of the classic motion picture “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” followed by an interactive discussion with the audience in the theater. Show time is 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29.

Best known as the star of the original “Star Trek” television series portraying the charismatic Capt. James T. Kirk, Shatner has forged a career that has spanned more than seven decades. And, at age 93, it appears he has no intention of coming out of warp speed anytime soon.

Shatner recently took time to speak with The Sunday News-Register about his upcoming visit to the Ohio Valley. Shatner was on a short break from his busy touring schedule when he expounded on his planned voyage to go where few celebrities of his stature have gone before – The Friendly City.

“I’m calling from a phone booth in the middle of the … no, I’m not. I’m home in Los Angeles,” he joked, noting that he would be back on the road soon. “I’m coming to Wheeling.”

Showing one of the most beloved “Star Trek” motion pictures with a live question and answer session afterwards makes for a fun and entertaining evening, Shatner said. He noted that it’s a chance to see a classic film on the big screen, and the version of “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” he’s bringing with him has been remastered for a truly unique viewing experience.

“It’s refurbished – the sound and color. It’s a terrific film,” he said. “Uniquely, I’m coming in with a wonderful motion picture that will entertain you. If you went just to see the motion picture, you’d be happy – it’s that good of a film. But I come out and do my best to tell stories and discourse on a variety of things that we’re all interested in and have a wonderful time.”

William Shatner, right, appears with the cast of the motion picture “Star Trek II” The Wrath of Khan.” (Paramount)

Shatner said he plans to share stories and answer questions from the audience members for about an hour to an hour and a half immediately following the screening of the film.

“The audience has a fascinating evening in which they’ll see a terrific motion picture, and the actor in the picture comes out and answers questions and tries to give informative and entertaining answers,” he said, adding that a lot has happened since “The Wrath of Khan” first hit the silver screen in 1982. “This is unique, too, because the actor comes out … somewhat older, because time has passed by since the film was made. But I try to make up for it with a lot of jumping around and laughter. It’s a fun time.”

While it’s been 42 years since the second original “Star Trek” motion picture was released, it’s been way longer since Gene Roddenberry’s original “Star Trek” series invaded television airwaves in the late 1960s. This month, Trekkies celebrated the 58th anniversary of the show’s debut.

Shatner said that although he’s known as the captain of the USS Enterprise, he doesn’t voyage as deep into “Star Trek” lore as some do.

“The 58th anniversary isn’t as resounding as the 50th anniversary or even the 60th anniversary. Are they going to have a 59th anniversary, as well?” he laughed.

Undeniably, the galactic appeal of “Star Trek” has pulled many generations of fans into its orbit. It’s hard to put a finger on the longevity of the franchise’s immense and far-reaching popularity, Shatner said, but it’s one that has remained close to his heart for decades and has become inseparably attached to his identity.

“Nobody knows the secret,” he said. “If you could put it down on paper, you would be a great success. If you could distill it to a series of proclamations, everyone would be in on it.”

William Shatner, left, shares the moment with longtime friend and fellow actor Leonard Nimoy during ceremony in Hollywood, Los Angeles on Thursday, May 19, 1983 honoring Shatner with a star the 1,762nd along the Hollywood Walk o Fame. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Although well known for his “Star Trek” connection, Shatner’s career in show business has gone well beyond the realm of that wildly popular television and motion picture series. The Canadian-born thespian has appeared on Broadway, starred in numerous television shows and has even made waves as a recording artist. He’s appeared in countless commercials and makes public appearances at a variety of events.

Many of Shatner’s ventures maintain ties to themes of science and science fiction, and his more recent work can be seen on The History Channel as host of “The Unexplained,” which he also served as executive producer, and streaming on Fox Nation with the show “Aliens Among Us.”

The audience at the Capitol Theatre is welcome to ask him about topics related to “Star Trek” or any of his other ventures, Shatner noted, including his recent and perhaps most daring voyage so far. In 2021 at age 90, he became the oldest person to travel out of this world during a space flight on Blue Origin.

“If I’m asked that question – if they have interest in it, of course,” he said when asked if he planned to speak about his accomplishment of becoming a space traveler – not just portraying one on TV. “It was beyond exciting. I’m one of 600 people who’ve gone into space and felt weightlessness. But I don’t know how many people who came back had the same feeling as I did.”

Shatner said he experienced what is known as the “overview effect” while in space – a unique perspective from viewing the Earth from afar. Seeing the thin layer of atmosphere where every person and every living thing known to man has ever existed stirred an overwhelming yearning to protect it.

“Up in space I saw the fragility of this little rock that we live on,” Shatner said. “It’s such a little rock, and what we’ve done to it – how we’ve defecated on it, in every sense of the word – unknowingly. Now we know better, and now we have a limited amount of time to do better. But I was so moved about how sad I felt – the grief I felt for our Earth – that when I came down, I was crying. I didn’t understand why I was crying, and it took me hours to be alone – and I realized that I was feeling grief.”

It was not long that Shatner held the record as the oldest space man – as another space flight passenger surpassed him soon afterwards. Ed Dwight took the title – also at age 90 but entering space a few weeks older than Shatner was when he temporarily departed Earth.

Shatner seems to be able to not only defy gravity at times, but defy aging as well.

“People lie about my age,” he joked.

William Shatner, who play Capt. James Kirk (left) and Leonard Nimoy, who plays Mr. Spock, the first officer on the U.S.S. Enterprise, the ?Star Trek? spaceship in back have a laugh during a press conference at paramount Studios where the new movie version of the old TV series was announced on Tuesday, March 29, 1978 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/JLR)

Believe it or not, space was not the final frontier for Shatner. Later this year, he will be appearing on yet another voyage to a place that few have gone before – Antarctica. And he invited people of the Ohio Valley to join him, astronaut Scott Kelly, science guru Neil deGrasse Tyson and others on the Space2Sea holiday cruise to Antarctica Dec. 19-29.

“It’s going to be remarkable,” Shatner said. “I’ll be working it – I’ll be appearing. Have you ever been to the Antarctic? Nor have I. Are you interested in seeing a leopard seal?”

Shatner described it as a “voyage of a lifetime” and invited everyone to look it up and consider coming along.

Until then, the next frontier in Shatner’s long and prosperous career will be in Wheeling on Sunday night. Despite his sometimes otherworldly personality, the famed actor seemed to be very down to Earth and sincerely looking forward to his appearance at the Capitol Theatre.

“It’s a wonderful evening in the theater,” Shatner said. “A really wonderful connection between the actor and the audience takes place. It’s a unique time in the theater. It’s really worthwhile.”

For tickets and additional information about the show, visit www.capitoltheatrewheeling.com.

Actor Ricardo Montalban appears as the title character, villain and nemesis of Capt. James T. Kirk in the 1982 motion picture “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” (Paramount/Getty Images)

William Shatner