Words & Music: Oscar Brown Jr. In the 1961 Oscar Brown Jr. play "Kicks & Company", directed by Lorraine Hansbury, and starring Burgess Meredith, there was a character role "Hazel Sharpe". Hazel was played by a young song & dance girl who later went on to become a beloved character on the original Star Trek series. Nichelle Nichols, aka Lt. Uhura, played Hazel Sharpe.