Star Trek: Phase II announces that J.G. Hertzler has been cast in the role of former tutor K’Sia for the upcoming episode “Kitumba.”
Hertzler is best known to Star Trek fans for his role as a Klingon warrior, General, and ultimately Chancellor Martok on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” as well as his appearances at Star Trek conventions with friend Robert O’Reilly, who played Klingon Chancellor Gowron on DS9. Hertzler was originally to appear as Harry Mudd in the Star Trek: Phase II (New Voyages) episode, “The Sky Above, The Mudd Below.” “That episode has been put on the back-burner for now,” commented Senior Executive Producer James Cawley (who also stars as Capt. James T. Kirk in the series) when asked about Hertzler’s casting, “but, when this role came up, I immediately thought of J.G. and decided to give him a call – he got back with me and confirmed his availability,” concluded Cawley.
“Kitumba,” written by Patty Wright, is based on the original story treatment developed by “Star Trek” producer/director/writer John Meredyth Lucas for the unrealized Star Trek: Phase II series in the late 1970’s. The Klingon-centric episode will be a closer look at the Klingon Empire during the original series era. Although the original story treatment calls for a uniquely different government and history for Klingons, Cawley says that particular attention will be paid to keeping the Klingon back-story in line with what we have come to know in subsequent Trek installments.
“Kitumba” depicts the Enterprise on a suicide mission to the heart of the Klingon Empire. The extended-length episode will not only explore Klingon society and show us the home planet, but will bridge the gap between the TOS Klingon Empire and Klingon Empire we saw later in the feature films.
Actor Kario Pereira Bailey will be taking on the role of the Klingon Emperor in “Kitumba”, announced Cawley Entertainment Company. Kario was featured in both “Vermont Stories” and “The Voices Project”, and has a wealth of theatre experience.
Ben Alpi of Runic Films is set to direct. Principal photography for “Kitumba” is slated to take place this June at the Retro Film Studios in Port Henry, New York and at nearby locations in Ticonderoga.
VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT FOR KITUMBA HAS BEGUN! Visit the Star Trek Phase II Recruitment Page to volunteer.
I wonder if any of the fan-produced shows (Phase II, Farragut, Lexington) will try to show the change in Klingon physiology from the “Original Series” to “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” and on whether or not it was caused by the Organians with their punishment of the Klingon Empire in the very first original novel based on the original series “Spock Must Die”. And if there was a way to have the Organians in another story, that might prove interesting.
This news is now quite out-of-date. Mr. Hertzler was not able to play the role of K’Sia, so I (Pony Horton) played him instead.
I’m no Hertzler that’s fer sure, but I thought I did pretty well in the part.
Also, the director of KITUMBA was Vic Mignogna, who also played Warlord Malkthon.