From: Skyway News#

Date: July 7, 1992

Headline: Comedy: Down to Earth

Subline: Joel Hodgson comes in from outer space to do 'Mystery Science Theater' at the Uptown Theatre.

Photo(s): Joel Hodgson and his robot pals Crow (left) and Tom-Servo (right) are getting a break from cable TV to perform live theater. No word yet on what robot Gypsy (center) will be doing. [Photo from first season.]

Author: Zurowski, Cory

Page(s): 20-21

Note: IT'S ALIVE! preview

NESTLED INSIDE THE suburban command post of Best Brains Inc. sit the Gizmonics Institute Satellite, which has become a fixed celestial body in the television heavens. It's the set for the popular Comedy Central cable-TV program "Mystery Science Theater 3000."

It's from Best Brains' low-tech studio in Eden Prairie that Twin Cities native Joel Hodgson and his two faithful robot comrades, Crow (an Armor All-coated version of Bullwinkle) and Tom-Servo (the always cynical bubble-gum machine), have derided, mimicked and just plain made fun of the movie trash that Hollywood dumped into theaters and drive-ins during the '50s and '60s.

But now, after creating more than 70 episodes of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" ("MST3K"), Hodgson and the rest of the Gizmonics Institute Satellite cast and crew are descending to Earth to venture into the unknown: They are about to premiere a live version of "MST3K"--titled "Mystery Science Theater Alive!"--July 10 and 11 at the Uptown Theatre in south Minneapolis.

"It's going to be a lot of fun, but putting on a live version is scarey," says "MST3K" associate producer Kevin Murphy. Like most of the Best Brains staff, Murphy has many responsibilities; he's also the voice of Tom Servo.

Much like the TV series, the theatrical version features Hodgson as the character Joel Robinson, a janitor at the Gizmonics Institute Satellite who has been forced by evil scientists in the main space station to watch inhumane, "B" science-fiction movies. But Joel can't keep his mouth shut while watching films, so audiences hear his running commentary of the screen action.

Joining the beloved satellite mainenance man at the Uptown Theatre are his trusty robots. The trio will sit onstage in front of the movie screen to enjoy the enslaved entertainment of "World Without End" in their own manner.

The 1956 sci-fi movie stars Rod Taylor as a member of a space-flight crew that's headed to Mars. When the spaceship breaks the time barrier, the crew finds itself back on Earth in the 26th century.

The set of Gizmonics satellite as seen in the TV series won't be re-created for the Uptown shows. "It's theater, and theater has its limitations," says "MST3K" stagehand.

Since "MST3K" emerged as one of the most nationally heralded comedies on television, its creators--Hodgson, Murphy, comedian Trace Beaulieu (the voice of Crow) and producer and Best Brains, Inc. President Jim Mallon--have been asked, if not downright begged, to go on tour with the show. Although no one in Best Brains' brain trust knows exactly who came up with the concept for the Uptown show, they all look to the endeavor with a handful of caution and a semitrailer load of excitement.

"We've always had to depend on what we thought was funny, and then people responded to it," Hodgson says. "With the live performance, we'll get an immediate reaction. We know how it works on television--we've done more than 70 shows--but we still don't know how it'll work live. It should be interesting."

Adds Beaulieu: "The entire process for putting on a live performance is an experiment. We all just want to see how it will work."

If the Uptown shows are successful not only to the people behind "MST3K" but to the audience as well, "Mystery Science Theater Alive!" could be the start of a much larger undertaking. Murphy, Beaulieu and Hodgson all thint that the show might go on tour. And quite possibly, it could be developed into a movie.

"It's really the first step," Murphy says. "But we'll wait and see before we decide what comes next."

While the Uptown performances should amuse and entertain "MST3K" fans in a more personalized manner than the TV series, the live shows will serve as a remedy for the cast and crew of "Mystery Science Theater 3000." For no matter how acclaimed or imaginative the TV series may be, as more episodes are written, produced and performed, the entire process can become stagnant and tiresome for the people at Best Brains. "Mystery Science Theater Alive!" should help to preserve the creative team's adolescent hearts and minds.

"Our performances at the Uptown are a way of protecting us from getting bored," Murphy says. "It will help keep things interesting to us." Adds Hodgson, "It's a way to keep growing."

So what happens if the show bombs and this idyllic scenario is shattered? "We'll all start crying and hope the crowd sympathizes," says Murphy.

Nevertheless, it's likely that Kleenex will ever be needed.

"Mystery Science Theater Alive!" is performed July 10 at midnight and July 11 at 11:30 a.m. at the Uptown Theatre, 2906 S. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. Call Ticketmaster, 989-5151.