Several members of the original Mystery Science Theater 3000 cast are reuniting for an on-line Q&A session. This will follow a riffing performance by The Mads are Back stars Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff. They will be joined afterward by Rifftrax stars Bill Corbett, Kevin Murphy, and Mike Nelson.
Beaulieu and Conniff will be riffing on the 1955 science-fiction film The Phantom From 10,000 Leagues. Filmed in black-and-white, the film promises to be a cheesy disaster worthy of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 legacy. A poster for the event, by artist Carmen Cerra, may be viewed below.
The Q&A cast represents a wide scope of Mystery Science Theater 3000 history. Trace Beaulieu was one of the show’s first performers, playing Dr. Clayton Forrester and Crow T. Robot. Kevin Murphy was the voice of Tom Servo starting with Season 2, and played Professor Bobo starting in Season 8. Frank Conniff joined the show in Season 2 as Dr. Forrester’s henchman, TV’s Frank. Mike Nelson was the show’s head writer and played several supporting roles before becoming the show’s host halfway through Season 5. Bill Corbett joined the series in Season 8, as the second voice of Crow T. Robot and the Observer (aka Brain Guy).
Where is the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Cast Now?
While none of the quartet are involved in the Mystery Science Theater 3000 revival, they are still actively riffing cheesy movies. Mike Nelson established Rifftrax in 2007, producing audio “trax” that synched up with DVD copies of popular shows and movies. This enabled them to overcome the licensing issues that made MST3K increasingly expensive. Rifftrax has been independently owned by Nelson, Bill Corbett, Kevin Murphy, and CEO David G. Martin since 2012.
The Mads Are Back was established by Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff in 2015. The two actors originally performed live, riffing old movies in the Mystery Science Theater 3000 style. In 2020, the two began offering monthly live-stream shows during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beaulieu and Conniff have also made guest appearances on various Rifftrax productions.
The Mads Are Back: The Phantom From 10,000 Leagues will stream on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 8 pm EST. Tickets are $10 and include a download of the riff, and access to a stream of the Q&A after the live show.
