Boldly going where many have gone before, William Shatner is bringing his one-man Broadway show "Shatner's World" to Orange County in early 2013.
The 80-year-old actor, song stylist and travel-site pitchman will bring a mix of storytelling and songs in a performance that acts as a comic autobiography. The show, which enjoyed a monthlong run at the Music Box Theatre in New York in February, played for one night at the Pantages in March as part of a national tour.
A bit of an acquired taste in self-aware turns since his days as James T. Kirk on "Star Trek," Shatner earned mixed reviews on stage. The Hollywood Reporter called him an "engagingly hammy and funny raconteur," while Entertainment Weekly was somewhat dismissive as writer Darrin Franich declared, “He's his own best audience. It's Shatner's show: We're just living through it."
If nothing else, Shatner seems to be having a good time regardless, having built his career on walking a thin line close to self-parody. His at-times puzzling singing career included some impressive highs on 2007's "Has Been" album (his biting take on Pulp's "Common People" was almost shockingly satisfying -- though his remarkable take on "Rocket Man" from 1978 exists in a twisted galaxy all its own).
The show comes to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts on Jan. 17, and tickets will start at $45.
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Twitter: @chrisbarton
