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Summary
Star Trekand Shakespeare have always had a close kinship , and legion Shakespearean actors made the jump from the phase to the whizz . From Starship Captains to Cardassians to Klingons , many iconicStar Trekcharacters have been take on by classically trained theater actors . Beyond the player who have connection between Shakespeare andStar Trek , references to the Bard and his body of work have been appearing inStar Treksince the other days ofStar Trek : The Original Series . Even the humans of the far time to come proceed to perform Shakespeare ’s play , as a way to entertain one another on a long voyage or as a way to explore their own humankind .
Not only are manyStar Trekepisodes named after Shakespearean quotes , but manyTrekcharacters also reference Shakespeare ’s whole kit . Star Trek : The Next Generationmay contain the most references to Shakespeare , and Patrick Stewart is the actor most associated with bothStar Trekand the Bard . But Captain Jean - Luc Picard is not the onlyTrekcharacter known to quote Shakespeare ’s noted dramatic play . Many of theactors onStar Trek : Deep Space Ninewere also classically trained Shakspearean actors before they get together the show ’s shape . Here are 10Star Trekactors who have also performed in Shakespearian productions .
Star Trek proceed to be cheer by the words of William Shakespeare . Here are 12 Trek episodes with Shakespearean titles .
10Christopher Plummer
Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country
The late Christopher Plummer has a longsighted history with Shakespeare . Plummer made his Broadway first appearance in 1954 and went on to be nominated for multiple Tony award , including one for limn Iago in Shakespeare’sOthelloin 1982 and one for portraying King Lear in 2004 . Plummer also won a Canadian Screen Award for his performance as Prospero inThe Tempest , andwas nominated for an Emmy for his portrait of Hamlet in 1964’sHamlet at Elsinoreproduction . A farseeing - clock time fan ofStar Trek , Christopher Plummer seem in the franchise asKlingon General ChanginStar Trek IV : The Undiscovered Country , a use that was written specifically for him .
William Shatner served as an understudy for Christopher Plummer at the Stratford Community Theatre for a 1956 output ofHenry V.
9David Warner
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Star Trek: The Next Generation
David Warner joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1963 , finally taking on the role of Henry VI inHenry VI , theatrical role I , II , and III . He has also play the title role inRichard IIandHamlet . After make his photographic film unveiling , Warner again star as Henry VI in the BBC version ofThe Wars of the Rosescycle in 1965 , and later as Don Armado in a BBC adaptation ofLove ’s Labour ’s Lostin 1985.David Warner has portrayed three differentStar Trekcharacters : Federation Ambassador St. John Talbot inStar Trek V : The Final Frontier , Klingon Chancellor Gorkon inStar Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country , and Cardassian Gul Madred in the excellentStar Trek : The Next Generationtwo - parter , " Chain of Command . "
8Marc Alaimo
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation
A Wisconsin native , Marc Alaimo was active in the local theater community , look in numerous plays with the Marquette University Players and the Milwaukee Repertory Theater in the 1960s . While there , he appeared in productions ofJulius Caesar , Twelfth Night , Hamlet , andOthello , among other non - Shakespeare plays . Alaimo played four dissimilar office onTNGbefore he study on his most well - known role of Cardassian Gul Dukat onStar Trek : Deep Space Nine . Over the course ofDS9’sseven seasons , Dukat became one ofStar Trek’smost complex and fascinating villains , thanks in no humble part to Alaimo ’s captivating portrayal .
Marc Alaimo , along with fellowTrekactors Casey Biggs and Jeffrey Combs , have been known to do scene from Shakespeare ’s plays at variousStar Trekconventions and events .
7Armin Shimerman
Not only has Armin Shimerman appeared in several Shakespearian point productions , but he also teaches Shakespeare as an adjunct professor for the University of Southern California and serves as a Shakespearean scholar for Hollywood productions . Shimerman has played the Fool inKing Learand Polonius inHamlet , and he has also look in productions ofRichard III , Love ’s Labour ’s Lost , Merry Wives of Windsor , Henry V , Macbeth , andMeasure for standard . Armin Shimerman made hisStar Trekdebut as a Ferengi named Letek inTNG , and he appeared in two more little roles on that show before starring as Ferengi barman Quark inDS9 .
Although Armin Shimerman is most well - screw for portraying Star Trek : Deep Space Nine ’s Quark , he look as four other characters in Star Trek .
6René Auberjonois
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
René Auberjonois was very involved in the theater community before he made the jump to play on screen . He appeared on Broadway as the Fool alongside Lee J. Cobb ’s King Lear in 1968 and as Malvolio inTwelfth Nightin 1972.Auberjonois also performed with the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington , D.C. , as the track Argan in Molière’sThe Imaginary Invalid . Auberjonois is , of class , most known for his portrayal ofConstable Odo onStar Trek : Deep Space Nine , the loveable but excitable Changeling head of certificate on the space station .
René Auberjonois received three Tony nominations , including one in 1973 for his character in Neil Simon’sThe Good Doctoropposite Christopher Plummer.
5Leonard Nimoy
Star Trek: The Original Series & Films, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness
Leonard Nimoy began his act career in the early 1950s , with mostly minor function in vitamin B - picture and as supporting characters on goggle box shows . Although Nimoy went on to reach acclaim for some of his degree character , his career in dramatic art begin after his clip onStar Trek : The Original Series . In 1975,he make for Malvolio in a Pittsburgh Public Theater production ofTwelfth Nightand take on the rubric office in the Royal Shakespeare Company ’s production ofSherlock Holmesthat same year . After his debut inTOS , Nimoy ’s Spock went on to become one of the most placeable characters in popular civilisation . Nimoy look as Spock in all three season ofTOS , as well as all sixTOSfilms . He also come along in theTNGtwo - parter " Unification,“and the J.J. Abrams ' filmsStar Trek(2009 ) andStar Trek Into Darkness .
4Kate Mulgrew
Star Trek: Voyager
Kate Mulgrew began acting both on point and in television in 1975 , appearing in the American Shakespeare Theatre output ofOur Townand on the ABC scoop operaRyan ’s Hopeat the same time . In the human beings of Shakespeare , Mulgrew run Desdemona inOthelloin 1978 , Isabella inMeasure for Measurein 1985 , Tamor inTitus Andronicusin 1989 , and Cleopatra inAntony and Cleopatrain 2010.Kate Mulgrew star as Captain Kathryn Janeway for seven seasons ofStar Trek : Voyagerand returned to voicemultiple translation of Janewayin the animatedStar Trek : Prodigy .
3Avery Brooks
It ’s no surprise Avery Brooks brought such gravitas to the role of Captain Benjamin Sisko onDS9 , as he has a long story perform in Graeco-Roman theater . Brooks was even award the William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theatre by the Shakespeare Theatre Company . He has portrayed Othello in multiple productions of the play , and also starred as King Lear in the Yale ’s Repertory Theatre production ofKing Lear . Brooks portrayed Captain Sisko for seven seasons onDS9 , taking theStar Trekfranchise through some of its benighted storylines up to that pointedness , let in the depiction of thedevastating Dominion War .
Star Trek offers many substantial and transformative moments for its accomplished starship police chief . Here are 10 Captains ' safe episodes .
2William Shatner
Star Trek: The Original Series & Films
William Shatner bring together the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario in 1954 , appearing in a production of Christopher Marlowe’sTamburlaine . Shatner had a small role in a production ofHenry V , and also served as an standby for Christopher Plummer . When Plummer had to miss a performance , Shatner delivered a unlike interpretation of the part , impress Plummer . William Shatner also star as Mark Antony in a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation output ofJulius Caesarin 1960 , six years before he would join thecast ofStar Trek : The Original Seriesas Captain James T. Kirk . Kirk appeared in all three season ofTOSand all six film , and Shatner ’s typical acting dash helped make Captain Kirk a household name .
1Patrick Stewart
Star Trek: The Next Generation & Films, Star Trek: Picard
Sir Patrick Stewart is potential the first name that comes to mind when think aboutStar Trekand Shakespeare , and for good cause . He has belike appeared in more Shakespeare plays than most of the names on this lean . Stewart joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966,appearing in productions ofHamlet , Henry V , The Taming of the Shrew , King Lear , Two Gentlemen of Verona , andA Midsummer ’s Night Dream . Stewart starred as Prospero in the New York Shakespeare Festival ’s production ofThe Tempestin 1995 and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre ’s production in 2006.Stewart has also star as Macbeth twice , for a stage production in 2007 - 2008 and a BBC television film in 2010 .
After being cast as Captain Picard , Patrick Stewart was referred to as an " unnamed British Shakespearean actor " by theLos Angeles Times .
Patrick Stewart has appeared inHamletas Claudius both on stage and in a 2009 BBC idiot box adaption alongside David Tennent ’s Hamlet . In 2011 , Stewart starred as Shylock in the Royal Shakespeare Company ’s production ofThe Merchant of Venice . Forseven seasons onStar Trek : The Next Generation , Patrick Stewart commanded the USS Enterprise - D as Captain Jean - Luc Picard , becoming the favorite Captain of a whole new propagation ofStar Trekfans . Like Stewart , Captain Picard is also a Shakespeare devotee and quotes the Bard often throughoutTNGandStar Trek : Picard . With legion references and crosswalk actors , Shakespeare andStar Trekremain inextricably linked . I infer all the galaxy really is a leg , after all .
