One of the big highlights of STLV 2024 was the introduction of the “Treksperts Stage” in the DeForest Kelley Theater. Organized and moderated by the team behind The Inglorious Treksperts podcast, this new programming tract brought insightful programming steeped in Star Trek lore with a lineup of celebrity guests with an emphasis on those behind the camera that have been making the final frontier our favorite franchise for decades. TrekMovie has some exclusive details on planned programming
Treksperts returning to STLV
Creation Entertainment and The Inglorious Treksperts have announced plans for over 50 hours of “intensive and amazing industry-centric Star Trek and sci-fi entertainment panels” for the ST:LV Trek to Vegas 2025 Convention at the Rio Las Vegas Hotel from Thursday to Sunday, August 7-10. They are promising programming that covers all eras of Star Trek featuring “legendary Star Trek stars, writers, directors, cinematographers, producers, authors and podcasters.” The Treksperts will also be presenting signings as well as their exclusive costume and prop museum on the show floor.
“We enjoyed tremendously our partnership with the Treksperts Mark A. Altman, Daren Dochterman, and Ashley E. Miller last year. Their track of programming was an incredibly entertaining and informative mix of knowledge, wit and Trekspertise,” said Creation Entertainment founders Gary Berman and Adam Malin in a statement.
Highlights from last year’s Treksperts Stage included anniversary cast and crew reunions for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, and Star Trek: Generations. Other panels took deep dives into the making of different shows and the largest collection of Star Trek writers ever assembled on one stage from The Next Generation to Strange New Worlds. They even staged a Trek celebrity-packed reading of the classic movie Plan 9 From Outer Space. The TrekMovie team was impressed enough to included the Treksperts Stage in our Best of Star Trek 2024, so we are excited they are back for 2025.
Ashley Miller, Daren Dochterman, and Mark Altman at STLV 2024
Looking at Treks not taken
“We had a great time doing this last year and when it was over, we said, that was fun, we’re done. But we heard the response loud and clear so when Gary and Adam told us we tried it once your way, are you game for a rematch, we couldn’t argue with the captains of the Enterprise,” co-host Mark Altman of Inglorious Treksperts told TrekMovie in an exclusive interview. “Daren, Ashley, and I knew we had to raise the bar and we promise to deliver to make this a 59th anniversary celebration for the ages.”
Altman revealed some of the planned programming, like something new he is really excited about called “Treks Not Taken,” which will take an in-depth look at the development of the first attempt to return Star Trek to live action: the 1970s TV project Star Trek: Phase II. They have lined up associate producer Jon Povill, “Lt. Xon” actor David Gautreaux, and producer Harold Livingston’s assistant Michele Billy. There will also be a panel on “Star Trek: The Beginning” with Emmy award-winning writer Eric Jendersen (Band of Brothers) talking about the screenplay he wrote after Star Trek: Nemesis (and before J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek). Producer Ralph Winter will share all the stories behind The Academy Years, the unproduced Star Trek prequel that was in development between Star Trek V and Star Trek VI. And David Tilotta, the author of the book Star Trek Lost Scenes, will take fans behind the scenes of unproduced scripts for The Original Series.
But there will be much more beyond the look at unproduced Star Trek projects. “We have a ton of fantastic guests we’ll be announcing soon, anniversary tributes including the 30th anniversary of Space: Above & Beyond, a deep dive into Lower Decks, spotlights on classic episodes like the 30th anniversary of ‘The Visitor’ and the 20th anniversary of ‘In A Mirror Darkly,’ the largest gathering of Star Trek writers ever assembled from The Original Series to Strange New Worlds, all on one stage, as well as many special surprises to be announced. Between Creation Entertainment and us, we’re going to kill this thing and we hope to see fans from around the globe there this August for the ultimate celebration of our mutual love of all things Trek.”
Plan 9 at STLV 2024
Shatner, Greenwood, Mulgrew, and many more for STLV
The Treksperts Stage is just part of the overall programming for STLV 2025. Creation is expecting over 100 guests again for this year and they are already lining up big stars for the main Leonard Nimoy stage, including regulars like William Shatner (TOS), Kate Mulgrew (Voyager), John Billingsley (Enterprise), Brent Spiner (TNG), and Babs Olusanmokun (Strange New Worlds), as well as rare convention guests like Elizabeth Dennehy (Shelby from TNG and Picard), and Bruce Greenwood and Jennifer Morrison (Christopher Pike and Winona Kirk in the Kelvin movies). There are also some events already being lined up like the second “Trek to Broadway” with Wilson Cruz (Discovery) and Celia Gooding (SNW). Many more guest and even announcements are coming.
Tickets are now available at Creation’s website at creationent.com as well as Copper, Gold and Captain’s Chair packages, plus hotel packages for the Rio.
