‘The Pitt’ star Taylor Dearden goes off as Spock at wild ‘Star Trek’ event

LOS ANGELES — "The Pitt” cast explored a strange new world with “Star Trek” to celebrate the iconic sci-fi franchise’s 60th anniversary.

With Noah Wyle leading the ensemble as Captain James T. Kirk, Katherine LaNasa playing Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy and Taylor Dearden playing the half-Vulcan Spock, the cast gave a spirited reading of “The Man Trap,” the first “Star Trek” episode broadcast on television, on Sept. 8, 1966.

During the Aug. 30 event, Fiona Dourif took on the dual role of McCoy’s former love Nancy Crater and the deadly salt vampire masquerading as her, while Shabana Azeez played Enterprise helmsman Hikaru Sulu. Ayesha Harris stepped into the role of communications officer Nyota Uhura.

60-year spoiler alert! The episode ends with Spock slapping around the identity-shifting salt vampire before love-struck McCoy finally comes to his senses and finishes the deadly monster off with his phaser.

Dourif, who plays Dr. Cassie McKay on “The Pitt,” went full-on vamp as the dying salt vampire, writhing dramatically as the creature met its end.

The phasers were fully on "fun" in the inaugural “Retro Reads” event, hosted by the Writers Guild Foundation, which also turns 60 this year. Gene Roddenberry, who created "Star Trek,"…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/entertainment/