Khan!!! The Musical! is a parody musical based on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. It is written by Brent Black, known for his Youtube "With Lyrics" series. The idea was co-conceptualized by Alina Morgan.
In the year 2366, Lieutenant Commander Data of the Enterprise-D is writing a holodeck musical based on the deadly battle between James T. Kirk and Khan Noonien Singh. Over the course of the evening, Data shows a holographic audience his latest draft, while casting himself in a variety of roles alongside classic Star Trek heroes like Kirk and Spock.
The musical has been in development since 2015 and had a 5-week run at the Players' Theatre off-Broadway in the spring of 2023.
Khan!!! the Musical! contains examples of:
- Absurdly High-Stakes Game: The battle in the Mutara Nebula, where neither ship has working sensors or shields, is portrayed as a game of Battleship, complete with guesses worked into the lyrics (of the song “Battleship”.) When Kirk starts using the third dimension, The 2D Enterprise on the Battleship grid is replaced by a 3D toy model moving around in all directions as Kirk shouts nonsense coordinates.
- Acting for Two: Invoked by Data, who inserts himself into the show as several minor characters, including Khan's right-hand man Joachim, Scotty's nephew Peter Preston, and Kirk's son David.
- Adaptational Explanation: Data has the other characters wonder why, if Kirk knew he would be saved shortly, he did the iconic "Khan!!!" yell; in this version, Kirk says he wanted to convince Khan that he had won but didn't tell anyone. It also explores more of Kirk's inner insecurities, including his frequent dreams in which he's much younger and still commanding the Enterprise.
- Adaptation Explanation Extrication: Instead of explaining why the planet Ceti Alpha V became a barren wasteland, Khan simply tells Chekov "long story."
- Adaptation Name Change: Captain Terrell is referred to exclusively as "Commander Red Shirt."
- Adaptation Personality Change: Since they are all holograms programmed by an android, the characters are exaggerated versions of themselves.
- Kirk and Spock are much more openly affectionate with each other.
- Bones's anti-alien prejudice is dialed up to 11 and Scotty's love for the Enterprise goes beyond romantic into sexual.
- Sulu acts much more like the real-life George Takei, and he and Uhura are both annoyed with their thankless work as background characters.
- Khan is described by Data as being "simply fabulous," and is played as an Expy of Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
- Saavik is a half-Vulcan/"half-ingenue" who comprises a handful of musical theatre tropes in her own right.
- David Marcus is played with an over-the-top Shatner impression to drive home his resemblance to Kirk.
- Peter Preston, whose relation to Scotty was only revealed in a deleted scene, is a clingy Cockney-accented twerp who won't leave his uncle alone.
- Adapted Out: Many moments from the film are adapted out, such as the scene where Kirk takes an away party to the Regula One space station.
- Affectionate Nickname: Kirk and Spock regularly call each other “Frosty Buns” and “Jim-Jam.”
- Affectionate Parody: The tone of the parody is clearly both a love letter and a roast to the Star Trek franchise and musical theatre tropes.
- All Musicals Are Adaptations: Of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. In-Universe, the musical is an adaptation of historical events that takes occasional liberties with details.
- Artistic License – History: In-Universe. Data explains that his adaptation of Kirk's battle with Khan isn't 100% accurate, but notes that such inaccuracies worked very well for former President Lin-Manuel Miranda.
- Comedic Work, Serious Scene: Spock's death and funeral scene is treated with relative reverence and sincerity, though since such a Downer Ending wouldn't work in a musical, it's undercut by a comic recap of the next four films with a particular emphasis on the one where they saved the whales.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: Over the course of the show, characters point out many problems and plot holes in story, including situations which could have been easily avoided.
- Creator Career Self-Deprecation: After several parody songs that, in Data’s words, border on "blatant theft,” he decides to blend his use of preexisting songs more finely, so that “the theft, while still blatant" will be "less noticeable.” He then declares “I believe I have become a composer.”
- Experienced Protagonist: Kirk is already an Admiral by time the show starts, having spent years as Starship captain before finally being promoted.
- Fantastic Racism: As always, Bones makes snarky comments about Spock being Vulcan, but here is called out by others as being "space-ist," as is Kirk for calling Spock's soul "the most human."
- Large Ham: Kirk is played with a fairly subtle impression of William Shatner, while David is played with the type of incredibly over-the-top impression most people do of Shatner. Data also becomes one when he activates his "entertainment sub-routine."
- Long-Lost Relative: David doesn't realize he talks exactly like Kirk, and then later meets him and realizes Kirk is his father.
- People Puppets: During “The Hyperchannel Rag,” Chekov’s Ceti eel-induced suggestibility is represented by Khan operating him like a ventriloquist’s dummy.
- Red Shirt: Parodied with the character of Commander Redshirt, who takes the place of Captain Terrell. When he realizes that saving Kirk's life will come at the cost of his own, he bemoans having ever become a Red Shirt, pointing out in vain that the vast majority of security officers
actually survived the original series. - Robosexuals Are Creeps: Scotty's love for the Enterprise is very blatantly sexual. When Data asks Picard about this during one of the scene transitions, the captain wearily says that Captain Scott was a "very special man" and Federation law has outlawed marrying a starship for a reason.
- Shock-and-Switch Ending: The show ends with Spock’s largely solemn funeral… but with some encouragement from Picard, Data shows the last number, which he had previously cut from his show for being “too much.” It’s a deliriously cheery number that touches on the plots of Star Trek films III through VI.
- Shout-Out: To numerous episodes and films in the Star Trek franchise, and to dozens of musicals.
- During Kirk and Khan's showdown, they sing a counterpoint duet reminiscent of "Confrontation" from Les Misérables, Kirk at one point even singing the lyrics "I am warning you, Javert!"
- Show Within a Show: The musical itself is a show that Data is presenting inside the show actual audiences are watching.
- Song Parody: Many of the songs in the show, particularly in the first half, are directly commenting on preexisting musical theatre songs, such as "The Hyperchannel Rag" borrowing the feel and concept of "We Both Reached for the Gun" from Chicago, and "My Wrath" sending up "Sweet Transvestite" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. As the show goes on, Data tweaks the algorithm so the references become less blatant, which he believes is how all composers work.
- Sound-Effect Bleep: Jamming-induced interference makes Carol’s angry rant at Kirk technically family-friendly.
- Spock Speak: Both Data and Spock speak in dispassionate and precise ways.
- Technobabble: The show makes great use of Star Trek-style technical jargon, including at one point Scotty using "Technobabble" as a unit of measurement ("The hyper-radiation's clocking in at over 50 technobabbles!")
- Tragic Bromance: Kirk and Spock's "bromantic" friendship is established throughout the show, and Spock later sacrifices himself to save Kirk and the Enterprise.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Peter Preston craves his Uncle Scotty's praise, so when Scotty tells him not to leave his post (as bathroom attendant) for any reason, he doesn't...leading to his death when the Reliant attacks.
