STAR TREK 60TH Reading Draws Noah Wyle, Nathan Fillion, D'Arcy Carden in LA
Surprise guests Clark Gregg, Iman Vellani, Paul Scheer and Aimee Garcia joined the Lodge Room event.
The Lodge Room in Los Angeles was filled with nostalgia on August 31, 2026 as fans packed the venue for WGF RetroReads Presents: 'Star Trek 60th,' the inaugural event in the Writers Guild Foundation's new RetroReads series. The special event celebrated the Foundation's 60th anniversary by honoring another beloved institution celebrating the same milestone: Star Trek. The one-of-a-kind evening brought together Noah Wyle, Katherine LaNasa, Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, Shabana Azeez, and Ayesha Harris of the Emmy-winning THE PITT, along with surprise guest stars, for a special live reading of the first script from the iconic Star Trek series. The event benefited the Writers Guild Foundation and was sponsored by Paramount/CBS and Deadline.
Writers Guild Foundation's Executive Director Julie Lacouture said the evening represented a special confluence of events. Lacouture said, 'The Writers Guild Foundation was founded in 1966, the same year Star Trek first aired. Plus, series creator Gene Roddenberry was an early board member of the Writers Guild Foundation. How could we not honor this cosmic coincidence?'
The sold-out crowd came to boldly go where no reading had gone before, and the evening delivered in spectacular fashion. The festivities were filled with laughs, drama, unexpected moments, including a series of surprise guest appearances by Nathan Fillion, Clark Gregg, Iman Vellani, Adam Arkin, Paul Scheer, Aimee Garcia, and D'Arcy Carden, adding an unforgettable element to an already memorable evening.
The evening was kicked off by host and STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS voice actor Paul F. Tompkins welcoming the enthusiastic crowd, who were then thanked by WGF Veterans Writing Project alumnus and television writer Nicole Schwegman, who shared her thanks for the programs in helping her connect to a creative community after she left the Navy. Nicole shared that the Foundation helped her get her start as a writer.
A surprise first script read was offered up with 'Mudd's Passion,' a well-loved script from STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES to set the tone. An unannounced cast took the stage, including Nathan Fillion (THE ROOKIE) as Captain Kirk, D'Arcy Carden (THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND) as Mr. Spock, Paul Scheer (BIG MOUTH) as Mr. Scott, Adam Arkin (CHICAGO HOPE) as Harry Mudd, and Aimee Garcia (DEXTER) as Nurse Chapel.
Following that came a warm reminiscence from Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's son, Rod Roddenberry.
Then the ensemble set their phasers to stun as Noah Wyle (Dr. 'Robby' Robinovitch) as Captain Kirk, Katherine LaNasa (Charge Nurse Dana Evans) as Dr. 'Bones' McCoy, Taylor Dearden (Dr. Mel King) as 'Spock,' Fiona Dourif (Dr. Cassie McKay) as villain 'Nancy Crater,' Shabana Azeez (Victoria 'Dr. J' Javadi) as 'Lieutenant Sulu,' and Ayesha Harris (Dr. Parker Ellis) as 'Lieutenant Uhura,' left behind the Pittsburgh Medical Trauma Center in exchange for Space, the Final Frontier, reading the first Star Trek episode to air, 'The Man Trap.'
The cast was joined by special guests Clark Gregg (THE AVENGERS) as 'Professor Crater' and Iman Vellani (MS. MARVEL) as 'Yeoman Janice Rand.'
The talented ensemble embraced the material with infectious enthusiasm, delivering a show that was hilarious, heartfelt, and gloriously over-the-top. The chemistry among the cast along with unexpected interactions kept the crowd laughing.
The Writers Guild Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization that preserves the art and craft of screenwriting while inspiring the next generation of writers to learn the craft and the industry. This evening's show is in support of the WGF's Library and Archive, Writers' Access Programs, and Veterans Writing Project.
The event reflects the mission of the Writers Guild Foundation Library, a free public resource that holds more than 50,000 scripts. Open to everyone, the Library gives visitors access to the work of previous generations of writers and provides a place to study the craft of screenwriting.
Proceeds from the event support the Writers Guild Foundation and its public programs, including the Library, Writers Access programs, Veterans Writing Project and public education events.
For more information about the WGF, visit https://www.wgfoundation.org/
WGF RetroReads: Star Trek 60th was produced by Ben Blacker (DEAD PILOTS SOCIETY; THE THRILLING ADVENTURE HOUR) and Heath Corson (ANIMAL KINGDOM; WITNESS POINT).
Photo Credit: Liezl Estipona on behalf of the Writers Guild Foundation
Photo Credit: Liezl Estipona on behalf of the Writers Guild Foundation
