The Neutral Zone Studios

Hubby and I decided to visit “The Neutral Zone” studios on one of their almost monthly fan appreciation weekends recently. Also, since these sets are rented out, the only time to see them is during scheduled events, so certainly see the calendar on the website prior to planning a visit.

The facility is actually a warehouse in Kingsland, Georgia, where the web series Star Trek Continues was filmed. The sets occupy a space just under 10,000 square feet, which is small by Hollywood standards, but the sets include many of the areas which would have been used on the original Star Trek series. While the original sets were destroyed more than fifty years ago, the blueprints are available, as are screen shots from the original series. The sets at The Neutral Zone were constructed over more than a year, then used for a while by the makers of Star Trek Continues. When CBS/Paramount decided to reboot Star Trek (making such series as DiscoveryPicard, and Prodigy) they basically told the folks making Star Trek Continues to wrap it up, so the sets became available for fan films. Indeed, it is possible to rent The Neutral Zone for an event or to make your own film, as long as the script meets the restrictions put in place by CBS.

The set visit begins with a guided tour. We began our tour with Ray Tesi, who currently owns the sets and manages the studio, then Vic Micnogna, who was the visionary behind Star Trek Continues, took over. Vic also plays Captain Kirk in the series, and if you haven’t seen it and are a fan, you really should take a look at the eleven full length episodes. Ray began with some background, then took us to engineering, then just across the entryway to the main ship, which is arranged in a circle, just like TOS. We visited sick bay, the briefing room, Captain’s quarters, the transporter room, auxiliary control, the Jeffries tube and brig, and the big finale is the bridge set. The guide(s) explained how the sets were built originally, and how the sets might be used in filming now. For instance, the Captain’s quarters, with a bit of redressing, can be any crew member’s quarters.

After the tour, with a bit of flexibility to avoid the next tour, attendees are welcome to take pictures. Just imagine, you, too can be pictured standing in the transporter room or on the bridge, either at the helm or even in the captain’s chair. We also purchased the entire series on DVD, and as Vic was there, he autographed the case for us.

Star Trek, even for non-fans, is a bit of a cultural phenomenon. Who doesn’t know such phrases as “Beem me up, Scotty?” For non-fans, The Neutral Zone is probably not a tourist destination, but for the thousands upon thousands of those who are fans of the original Star Trek series, the set tour is an amazing experience. I urge travelers to take a look at the websites for both The Neutral Zone and Star Trek Continues for a bit of research prior to scheduling a trip. As a fans of all vintage Star Trek series, including Star Trek Continues, this was a “must see” for us, and it did not disappoint.

Jersey Boys on Netflix

Jersey BoysLike many of you, we use services such as Netflix rather than having a traditional cable subscription. At times, we miss the old TV Guide magazine, which would guide the viewing experience. Instead, with Netflix, there is some algorithm that knows my husband likes shoot ’em up flix, so I am not always happy with the suggestions. However, a couple of days ago, I noticed “Jersey Boys”as an option in our feed. I’m embarrassed to say that hubby actually, “What’s that?” I simply said, “Click on it and you’ll see.”

Anyway, fortunately for me, hubby likes music, especially vintage pop, so he was eager to take a look at the movie version of this musical, which had a great run on Broadway, and is still touring around the country. Jersey Boys tells the story the Four Seasons, featuring the fabulous Frankie Valli. Surprisingly, the film version is directed by Clint Eastwood. The cast is really great, with Christopher Walken in a small but pivotal role, and it also has the original Valli from Broadway, John Lloyd Young as well as Erich Bergen, who has a supporting role in another show we’ve watched on Netflix, Madame Secretary.

There is much to like about this film, which is actually a 2014 release, but I was most impressed with the sound track. And, as is possible when watching a film in the comfort of home, I paused it and did some research, finding that the cast sang, rather than having it dubbed by either the original band or by hired musicians. Many of the hits from the Four Seasons are present, including “Sherry”, “December 63 (Oh What a Night)”, “Walk Like a Man”, and “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” Valli’s solo, “My Eyes Adored You” is also in the film, as are other familiar tunes.

Although not entirely happy, for this film follows the rise and the ultimate fall of The Four Seasons, we enjoyed this film quite a lot. If you are a Netflix subscriber, the movie version of Jersey Boys is a great way to spend an evening. Toe tapping is optional, but recommended!

Born with Teeth—A Memoir; review and commentary

Born Mulgrew

Kate Mulgrew’s Memoir

My guess is the first I heard of Kate Mulgrew was when she starred in Mrs. Columbo, but that’s not a certainty. Like many fans of all things Star Trek, I was both thrilled and a bit concerned when Mulgrew was very publicly named the newest captain in the fourth iteration of that television franchise, Star Trek Voyager. And, I was rather amazed to by her character in Orange is the New Black, in a role that is far from her roots as a distinctive and attractive leading lady.

Regardless of when one first noticed Kate Mulgrew, she is a force on the screen. Recently, I read her memoir, which has the curious title Born with Teeth. Apparently, she was indeed born with teeth, which were extracted so she could feed properly. For Mulgrew’s fans , there may not be all that much new information, but the style of her prose does illuminate readers on her perspective in regards to matters that matter most. The narrative is mostly linear, although she skips a lot of years and events. First, the reader learns just how dedicated she is to her craft and how much work it has been. Second, readers will become better acquainted with Kate’s large family, and see how they have influenced her. One of my favorite passages is when, as a schoolgirl, Kate invited her artist mother to hear her recitation of poems she had written. Upon learning about the program, Kate’s mom, Joan, gives her a copy of a poem (The White Cliffs of Dover) to read, and during the school program young Kate not only read her poems, but she read the classic poem so well that her audience was almost in tears. Afterward, Kate’s mom told her that she could either be a bad poet or a great actress. Apparently, Kate took those words to heart, because from that early age, she put all of her effort into becoming an actress.

Fans of Ryan’s Hope (a soap opera that was Kate’s first big break in television) or Star Trek Voyager (perhaps her most influential role) will find a few gems, but she doesn’t concentrate on those stints. Instead, what Mulgrew writes about is relationships. While filming Ryan’s Hope, Kate became pregnant, and as she was not married and quite young, she assumed she’s have to leave her job. Instead, the pregnancy was written into the show, and her character gave birth a few days after Kate did it in real life. The Mary Ryan character kept her baby, but Kate gave up her daughter for adoption. Later, she expends both time and money in an attempt to find her biological daughter, and that search is a focal point of the memoir.

Certainly, Mulgrew has experienced quite a lot of grief, as one of her sister’s died of a brain tumor and another succumbed to pneumonia. Romance has not always been easy, either. Mulgrew also writes of her loves—her first husband, Robert Egan, and the sons that he fathered, and how divorce affected her and the boys. Later, she reveals how her love for her second husband, Tim Hagan, endured a rather on again then off again period. The memoir ends as she meets her daughter and her relationship with Hagan finally settles into marriage.

I’m a science fiction fan (and writer) so I was just a tad disappointed in this memoir. I’d love it if Kate would do as Shatner has done and publish a book about her time portraying Captain Janeway. Perhaps she will, when she has more time, for she does seem to be one busy lady.

The Sound of Music (on tour)

MusicMy sister, my daughter, and I saw a musical in our local theatre venue— The Sound of Music. I remember seeing the 1965 film version as a child (and I am telling how old I am by that admission) and absolutely loving it. The performance was part of what they term their “Broadway Entertainment” series. The auditorium there seats 2000, so it is actually larger than most theatres on Broadway. The seating is a bit more comfortable, however.

I told my daughter that I was wary of not liking the stage version, but it was really good. The sets worked well, and the actress playing the Reverend Mother has one heck of a set of pipes on her! The actor portraying the captain was a very good singer, too. I do not believe anyone could do a better job of singing the part of Maria than Julie Andrews did, but the actress who performed for us did a good job.

While many of the songs from the movie were used, this touring version is actually closer to the original stage play that the film was based upon. Although my daughter was upset that they left out one of her favorites, “Confidence” the Baroness and Max sing in the stage play!

Our girls night out was great fun, from our happy hour beverages, to our meal at a hip restaurant, and the heart warming musical, with nary a naughty word, finished the evening.