Fast Chat: Enter William Shatner's 'World'

"Risk is our business. That's what this starship is all about," Capt. James T. Kirk says in one of the most iconic speeches William Shatner delivered in the original "Star Trek" series. Today, 44 years since that episode aired, Shatner is about to take one more risk -- a one-man show beginning a three-week run Tuesday at the Music Box Theatre, where he last performed on Broadway in "A Shot in the Dark" in 1962. "Shatner's World: We Just Live in It," the actor told Newsday's Jack Millrod recently, is all about rising to challenges -- about "saying 'yes' to life."

Since "Boston Legal," you've done a sitcom, your own talk show, iconic commercials, documentaries, novels, comic books and an autobiography; one of your spoken-word albums has inspired a ballet, and now, you're opening on Broadway. For a guy who named his CD "Has Been," you've been awfully busy.

Yes, I'm tired.

What's driving you?

I get the opportunity to do something different, extraordinary, challenging; it would be easy to say, "No, I won't do that." And I'm tempted many times to say, "Well, I think I'll lie down." But I know that when I get up from lying down, I'll regret having missed that opportunity to do that thing.

Will you be sharing the stage with anyone?

Unfortunately not ... I'll sit there and tell you stories about love and death and life and horses and comedy and humor, something about "Star Trek," something about music -- a variety of subjects, all of which I hope will entertain you.

Your career has been all about taking chances -- from a movie in Esperanto to the albums you've recorded. Is there a leap that you shied away from, one you wish you'd taken?

No, I can't say that I remember some opportunity that was offered to me that I felt was exciting that I did not take. When I think of the word "regret," I think that's probably the saddest word of all in the English language, because there's nothing you can do about it. And other than that, you don't know what would have happened had you taken the other path.

Last year, in your documentary, "The Captains," in which you interviewed the other actors who'd portrayed "Star Trek" captains, there was a moment with Patrick Stewart when you each said that if this was the role -- this was the work you were best remembered for, that you were OK with that. Is that something you've felt for a long time or only recently?

One of the arcs of that documentary was my having that epiphany. Patrick Stewart made that statement, and as I thought about it, and I thought about the influence and the place in the culture that "Star Trek" has had, that indeed, if that were the only thing that I did that I should legitimately be proud of it.

Now that you've heroically fallen to your death both as Capt. Kirk and the Priceline Negotiator ...

But wait until I have my own fall, my own death -- maybe I'll have fireworks.

Well, looking at those two roles, which are we more likely to see you play again?

I doubt very much if I'll ever be Capt. Kirk again. And for the Negotiator to arise is a decision I can't make.

Have you had any talks with J.J. Abrams' folks about the next "Star Trek" movie?

No. I know J.J., and we talk occasionally, but not about the movie. There is an inherent difficulty there. How do you put a guy on the screen who 45 years ago looked somewhat differently.

The late DeForest Kelley [Dr. McCoy] and Jimmy Doohan [Scotty] each shared with me a story that meant a lot to them, one of someone who had been inspired by their work on "Star Trek" to become a doctor or an engineer. Do you carry around a story like that?

Over the years, numerous people have come to me and said, "I am what I am now because of you." Actually, a homeless guy said that to me. That took me down a bit.

I asked you back in 1996 if you shared "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry's optimistic view of the future. You told me the future you saw was dark, bleak. Are you any more hopeful today?

No, the situation is even worse. ... The push to save the world in the next 30 years is not there, and it needs to be there. We're slowly, slowly coming around, but the vast majority of people are in such denial.

After Broadway, is there something that you haven't tried, that you're hoping to try on the horizon?

I think if I can get to play quarterback for the Colts, I might be able to take them to the Super Bowl. I'd like to try that.