Star Trek Battle Bridge
The Aroana Infliction
Hudson Guild Theatre
Reviewed by Jose Ruiz
This latest Star Trek tribute production comes from The Actors Coalition Network of Los Angeles in association with Stages of Gray. It does what a few other Star Trek program did years ago; features cross over casting from various incarnations of the franchise. Back in the day, in the two part “Unification” show from season five of The Next Generation, Spock and Data met. Their exchanges are epic as logic meets pragmatism. In this production Data and Spock not only meet – they actually work together as the Enterprise crew is reprised in a new adventure that is largely whimsical.
The ship and crew are traveling through a far edge of the galaxy where they receive a deep space distress signal from entities calling themselves the Terrinicians. While Data is conducting a practice emergency drill the ship is inexplicably attacked. Suddenly the drill becomes the real thing and the crew is forced to detach the saucer from the rest of the ship. This leaves the familiar team in the Battle Bridge where Captain James T. Kirk and his loyal group suddenly face the fight of their lives. Besides Data, (a green faced near incarnation of the original) Spock is there, badgered by the curmudgeon Doctor Mc Coy who finds fault with everything. Scotty tries to keep the engines going while Chekov and Sulu attempt to man the helm and navigation. All this time Lieutenant Uhura is desperately trying to decipher some strange communication, but manages to take a little time to try to arouse Data with flirtatious innuendos and promises. Data assures her that while he is incapable of feeling, he is fully functional in every respect, a fact that delights Uhura.
As with many Star Trek voyages, this one also encounters alien life in the form of the Terranicians who are desperately attempting to flee the attacks from the Deblicratz, and Kirk, being who he is, is determined to help. It turns out that the Terranician space ship is organic and guess what, it’s pregnant and about to give birth! Data and Spock come up with a plan to help protect the Terranician ship from attack by the Deblicratz while it births its young and in traditional Star Trek fashion the good guys prevail.
The Terranician aliens are outrageously garbed that could become staple fashions for a Halloween parade. Randall Gray, Writer, Director, Producer, Set Designer, is also responsible for construction, Technical Design, Costumes and Make-Up. Apparently his massive involvement in all of these roles was part of a contractual mandate in order to be allowed to do this production of stage. He was going to play all the parts but the clone machine was busy, as was he. Instead there is a double cast for every role, making for a huge alternating roster that includes two Captain Kirks in Terrence Budnik and Will Jorgenson; two Spocks with Adam Gold and David Paster; two McCoys with Zach Sandberg and Dax Spanogle; Data’s doubles are Timothy Driscoll and Rolland Bartimus; Andi Hester and Raven Maxile are the lovely Lieutenants Uhuras; Justin H. Jung and Andio Manguray play Lt. Sulu; the two Chekovs are Sean Bowe and Aaron Stall and the two Scotty characters are played by Lionel Christoph and Sean Gassaway. But WAIT! There are also two aliens for every actor (or is it the other way around?) Prince Aroana is played by Tony Dooley and Devin M. Gallemore; there are also two Loache, the Terranician Crew Chief in the bodies of Adam Lazarus Frost and Cory Del Rio; Gouramis is portrayed by Collin Gaveck and Piankhi Inknaton and Chromis is played Jonathan Colunga and Brad Painter. Besides all that, there is the off stage voice of Lovelee Carol channeling Counselor Deanna Troy.
The whole thing is a sort of tongue-in-cheek presentation of a long past show that has been elevated beyond the cult status and is almost a monument to the creator. It’s evident that the actors in this presentation relish their parts and are having a great time doing it. If you ever were a Star Trek fan, you too will find that this show will take you on a trip where you may not have gone before.
Plays through November 23, 2014 at the Hudson Guild Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Reservations at 323-960-7740 or http://stagesofgray.wordpress.com/calendar/
Star Trek Battle Bridge - Aroana Infliction 