To be or not to be.
That is the question of the moment for Robert Beltran, who hath taken to the stage as Hamlet in a Los Angeles production of the Shakespeare classic. Not only does the actor, “Voyager’s” stoic Chakotay, star in the show, but he co-directed it as well.
“I’m psyched to be doing it, but I’m already (very) fatigued,” Beltran says. “I hadn’t been able to do a play in three years because of my commitment to `Voyager,’ and I thought it was time to get back to the stage.”
Beltran’s production of “Hamlet” began April 18 at the Actors’ Gang Theater in Los Angeles and runs until May 18, a week before he returns to the “Voyager” set for the series’ fourth season.
There are still four episodes from this season left to air, however. “Distant Origin,” which airs Wednesday, is a Chakotay-heavy hour.
“It’s about a race of people (called the Voth) who achieved a high level of technology and went on to colonize the area of space that Voyager is going through now,” Beltran says. “They learn that they’re related to us, but because they feel they’re vastly superior, the ruling hierarchy doesn’t wish it to be known publicly.”
Beltran reveals even less about another upcoming episode, the May 14 “Worst Case Scenario,” noting only that it marks the return of the late, lamented Seska (Martha Hackett).
“I hate to give anything away about these shows,” he says. “Why ruin the surprise?”
That said, it’s not even worth the effort to grill Beltran about “Scorpion,” the May 21 season finale, a cliff-hanger that finds the Voyager crew forming an unlikely alliance with the Borg as they face off against a formidable new alien foe.
Beltran believes that “Voyager” continues to improve and that the mandate to have the characters embrace their adventure and put getting home on the emotional back burner has paid off.
“Voyager,” he argues, is exciting television drama with unique characters and well-told stories.
“It’s still fun to come to work,” he says. ” The whole infrastructure of the show is really top-notch.
Con calendar
Places to Trek to May 2-4:
– Science Fiction Exposition celebrating 20 years of “Star Wars” at the Concourse Exhibition Center in San Francisco. Call 610-454-1197
– Creation at the Hynes Center in Boston, featuring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy (May 3 only) 818-409-0960.
If you have Trek or science-fiction news or trivia to share — or if you have questions relating to “Star Trek” — write to Ian Spelling, care of The New York Times Syndicate, 122 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10168.
