The Pee-wee Herman Show
Encyclopedia
The Pee-wee Herman Show is a stage show developed by Paul Reubens
in 1980. It marks the first significant appearance of his comedic
fictional character
, Pee-wee Herman
, five years before Pee-wee's Big Adventure
, and six years before Pee-wee's Playhouse
. The show initially debuted as a midnight show February 1981 at the Groundlings theater, and was later moved to Los Angeles' Roxy Theatre, where the HBO cable network taped one of the shows and aired it as a special that year. This TV special was released on DVD by Image Entertainment
July 18, 2006. This nightclub show had more adult humor than the later children's TV series.
(the infamous first season of an all-new cast, and one of five seasons without Lorne Michaels
as a producer). Reubens lost to actor Gilbert Gottfried
and thought his career was over. According to Reubens, he was about to return home when he came up with the idea of a stage show featuring the character he premiered back in 1977, Pee-wee Herman. That year, the character had made his first appearance to a national (but mostly adult) audience when he made a cameo in Cheech & Chong's Next Movie
. With $3,000 (mostly money wired from his parents), and help from 60 people working for him (including his fellow Groundling Phil Hartman
), Reubens created the show.
and Pinky Lee
.
Pee-wee spends the day with his friends and fellow citizens of Puppetland (including Pterri the pterodactyl, Mr. Knucklehead, Captain Carl, Miss Yvonne, Jambi the genie in a box, Clockey the USA wall-map/clock, Randy the Rascal, Mailman Mike, Hammy and his sister Susan, Hermit Hattie, and the singing next door neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Jelly Do-nut).
Pee-wee really wants to be able to fly after he's given a wish by Jambi the genie, but he decides to give his wish away to Miss Yvonne who wants Captain Carl to "really like her" and think she's "beautiful from head to toe".
During the course of his busy day, Pee-wee sings & dances, reads pen pal letters "from around the world" (including prison), conducts a hypnosis puppet act with a female audience member who undresses under his command, and shows a cartoon and a vintage "Mr. Bungle" 1950s educational film about proper deportment.
Later, Pee-wee gets upset that he unselfishly gave away his magic wish when he sees Captain Carl and Miss Yvonne happily on a date. After much pouting and throwing a tantrum
, Pee-wee finally runs away.
The concerned citizens of Puppetland find out about Pee-wee's secret wish and after Captain Carl reveals that he had already liked Miss Yvonne to begin with, they all realize that Pee-wee still has a wish coming. Jambi the genie then grants Pee-wee's wish to be able to fly.
Pee-wee triumphantly soars and "roars" above Puppetland and proclaims that he is the "luckiest boy in the world."
, who would later win three Emmy Award
s for his set design on Pee-wee's Playhouse
.
Silk-screening was done by Richard Duardo but the design of the sleeve and of the album was done by Gary Panter. The paper sleeve states that it was recorded at the Roxy Theater, L.A. June 1981. All music composed and arranged by Jay Condom except as noted.
The Pee-Wee Herman Show was originally scheduled for November 8–29 at the Music Box Theater in Hollywood. Due to high demand and technical needs, the show moved venues from Music Box to Club Nokia @ LA Live with a run between January 12 and February 7, 2010.
The cast rehearsed at Sunset-Gower Studios before moving to technical rehearsals at Club Nokia. The original plotline of Captain Carl's crush on Miss Yvonne was switched to Cowboy Curtis. Added to the new version were the characters "Chairry", "the Flowers", "Mr. Window", "Globey", "Clockey", "Mr. Knucklehead", "Conky the Robot" (known as "Conky 3000"), "King of Cartoons" and "Magic Screen" from the TV series.
The updated show re-written by Paul Reubens contains modern references to the internet, iPad, abstinence rings, and ShamWow - as well as several new characters, including handyman Sergio, firefighter Phineas
and a dancing-mute Bear.
The revival production was produced by Scott Sanders
, directed by Alex Timbers, with scenic design by David Korins and Gary Panter and original music by Jay Cotton.
After several previews that began October 26 the production opened on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on November 11, 2010 . The limited engagement closed on January 2, 2011. The production was taped for an HBO special which premiered on March 19, 2011.
Paul Reubens
Paul Reubens is an American actor, writer, film producer, and comedian, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman. Reubens joined the Los Angeles troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor...
in 1980. It marks the first significant appearance of his comedic
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, Pee-wee Herman
Pee-wee Herman
Pee-wee Herman is a comic fictional character created and portrayed by American comedian Paul Reubens. He is best known for his two television series and film series during the 1980s. The childlike Pee-wee Herman character developed as a stage act that quickly led to an HBO special in 1981...
, five years before Pee-wee's Big Adventure
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
Pee-wee's Big Adventure is a 1985 American adventure comedy film directed by Tim Burton in his full-length debut and starring Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman. Reubens also co-wrote the script with Phil Hartman and Michael Varhol. Supporting roles are played by Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton, Diane...
, and six years before Pee-wee's Playhouse
Pee-wee's Playhouse
Pee-wee's Playhouse is an American children's television program starring Paul Reubens as the child-like Pee-wee Herman. The show was developed from Reubens' popular stage show and the one-off TV special The Pee-wee Herman Show, produced for HBO, which was similar in style but featured much more...
. The show initially debuted as a midnight show February 1981 at the Groundlings theater, and was later moved to Los Angeles' Roxy Theatre, where the HBO cable network taped one of the shows and aired it as a special that year. This TV special was released on DVD by Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment, Inc. is an independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming and film & television productions in North America, with approximately 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 250 exclusive CD titles in domestic release, and approximately 450...
July 18, 2006. This nightclub show had more adult humor than the later children's TV series.
Development
The roots of that stage show were in 1980 when Reubens was one of 22 finalists to be chosen as a regular on Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
(the infamous first season of an all-new cast, and one of five seasons without Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels, CM is a Canadian-American television producer, writer, and comedian best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live and producing the various film and TV projects that spun off from it.-Early life:...
as a producer). Reubens lost to actor Gilbert Gottfried
Gilbert Gottfried
Gilbert Gottfried is an American actor, voice actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his trademark comedic persona of speaking in a loud, grating tone of voice. He has played numerous roles in film and television, perhaps most notably voicing the parrot Iago in Disney's Aladdin , and...
and thought his career was over. According to Reubens, he was about to return home when he came up with the idea of a stage show featuring the character he premiered back in 1977, Pee-wee Herman. That year, the character had made his first appearance to a national (but mostly adult) audience when he made a cameo in Cheech & Chong's Next Movie
Cheech & Chong's Next Movie
Cheech & Chong's Next Movie is the second feature-length film by Cheech and Chong, released in 1980. It was directed by Tommy Chong.-Plot:...
. With $3,000 (mostly money wired from his parents), and help from 60 people working for him (including his fellow Groundling Phil Hartman
Phil Hartman
Philip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...
), Reubens created the show.
Plotline
At home in his Puppetland playhouse, Pee-wee entertains his audience of "boys & girls" in a homage to low budget 1950s TV kiddie-shows such as Howdy DoodyHowdy Doody
Howdy Doody is an American children's television program that was created and produced by E. Roger Muir and telecast on NBC in the United States from 1947 until 1960. It was a pioneer in children's television programming and set the pattern for many similar shows...
and Pinky Lee
Pinky Lee
Pincus Leff , better known as Pinky Lee, was an American burlesque comic and host of a children's television program, The Pinky Lee Show, in the early 1950s.-Biography:...
.
Pee-wee spends the day with his friends and fellow citizens of Puppetland (including Pterri the pterodactyl, Mr. Knucklehead, Captain Carl, Miss Yvonne, Jambi the genie in a box, Clockey the USA wall-map/clock, Randy the Rascal, Mailman Mike, Hammy and his sister Susan, Hermit Hattie, and the singing next door neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Jelly Do-nut).
Pee-wee really wants to be able to fly after he's given a wish by Jambi the genie, but he decides to give his wish away to Miss Yvonne who wants Captain Carl to "really like her" and think she's "beautiful from head to toe".
During the course of his busy day, Pee-wee sings & dances, reads pen pal letters "from around the world" (including prison), conducts a hypnosis puppet act with a female audience member who undresses under his command, and shows a cartoon and a vintage "Mr. Bungle" 1950s educational film about proper deportment.
Later, Pee-wee gets upset that he unselfishly gave away his magic wish when he sees Captain Carl and Miss Yvonne happily on a date. After much pouting and throwing a tantrum
Tantrum
A tantrum is an emotional outburst, usually associated with children or those in emotional distress, that is typically characterized by stubbornness, crying, screaming, yelling, shrieking, defiance, angry ranting, a resistance to attempts at pacification and, in some cases, violence...
, Pee-wee finally runs away.
The concerned citizens of Puppetland find out about Pee-wee's secret wish and after Captain Carl reveals that he had already liked Miss Yvonne to begin with, they all realize that Pee-wee still has a wish coming. Jambi the genie then grants Pee-wee's wish to be able to fly.
Pee-wee triumphantly soars and "roars" above Puppetland and proclaims that he is the "luckiest boy in the world."
Vinyl record
Originally released in 1981, a vinyl 12" one-sided hand silk-screened picture disc was released of the performance by Fatima Recordz. The cover features a drawing of Pee-wee by Gary PanterGary Panter
Gary Panter is an illustrator, painter, designer and part-time musician. Panter's work is representative of the post-underground, new wave comics movement that began with the end of Arcade: The Comics Revue and the initiation of RAW, one of the second generation in American underground comix...
, who would later win three Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s for his set design on Pee-wee's Playhouse
Pee-wee's Playhouse
Pee-wee's Playhouse is an American children's television program starring Paul Reubens as the child-like Pee-wee Herman. The show was developed from Reubens' popular stage show and the one-off TV special The Pee-wee Herman Show, produced for HBO, which was similar in style but featured much more...
.
Silk-screening was done by Richard Duardo but the design of the sleeve and of the album was done by Gary Panter. The paper sleeve states that it was recorded at the Roxy Theater, L.A. June 1981. All music composed and arranged by Jay Condom except as noted.
Tracks
- Pee-wee's Playhouse
- Good Morning Song (Lyrics Paul Reubens)
- A Sailor's Life (Music & Lyrics Reubens & Hartman)
- Most Beautiful Woman in Puppetland
- Ballad of Hermit Hattie (Composed Edie McClurg)
- Rub The Top of Jambi's Box (Lyrics John Paragon)
- I Gotta Go Be By My Self/ Call Me Ms.Bungle
- He's Gonna Get His Wish - His Way - What He Wants
- Luckiest Boy In The World (Lyrics Reubens & Bill Steinkellner)
- Volare Pee-wee (Vocal John Paragon)
Cast
- Pee-wee Herman - Paul ReubensPaul ReubensPaul Reubens is an American actor, writer, film producer, and comedian, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman. Reubens joined the Los Angeles troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor...
- Mailman Mike - John Moody
- Jambi - John Paragon
- Miss Yvonne - Lynne Marie StewartLynne Marie StewartLynne Marie Stewart is an American film and television actress, best known for her performance as Miss Yvonne, the Most Beautiful Woman in Puppet Land. She originated the role in the 1981 stage show The Pee-wee Herman Show and on the CBS television show Pee Wee's Playhouse...
- Captain Carl - Phil HartmanPhil HartmanPhilip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...
- Hammy - Tito LarrivaTito Larriva-Early life:Larriva was born in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, and grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, and El Paso, Texas. As a child he played the violin in the school orchestra and sang in the church and school choirs where he met his wife Janet Carroll. In 1972 Larriva snuck into Yale University for a full...
- Mr. & Mrs. Jelly Donut - Brian Seff, Monica Ganas
- Joan - Joan Leizman
- Hermit Hattie - Edie McClurgEdie McClurgEdie McClurg is an American character actress. She is known for her perky North Central dialect , common to persons from Middle America.-Career:...
2010 Stage Show Revival
Paul Reubens told the press in interviews that he hoped his revival of his Pee Wee Herman stage show would help garner producer interest and funding for a new feature film (with a new actor possibly playing the role of Pee Wee).The Pee-Wee Herman Show was originally scheduled for November 8–29 at the Music Box Theater in Hollywood. Due to high demand and technical needs, the show moved venues from Music Box to Club Nokia @ LA Live with a run between January 12 and February 7, 2010.
The cast rehearsed at Sunset-Gower Studios before moving to technical rehearsals at Club Nokia. The original plotline of Captain Carl's crush on Miss Yvonne was switched to Cowboy Curtis. Added to the new version were the characters "Chairry", "the Flowers", "Mr. Window", "Globey", "Clockey", "Mr. Knucklehead", "Conky the Robot" (known as "Conky 3000"), "King of Cartoons" and "Magic Screen" from the TV series.
The updated show re-written by Paul Reubens contains modern references to the internet, iPad, abstinence rings, and ShamWow - as well as several new characters, including handyman Sergio, firefighter Phineas
Phineas
In Greek mythology, Phineas was a Phoenician King of Thrace.The name 'Phineas' or 'Phineus' may be associated with the ancient city of Phinea on the Thracian Bosphorus.-Phineas, Son of Agenor:...
and a dancing-mute Bear.
The revival production was produced by Scott Sanders
Scott Sanders
Scott Russell Sanders is an American novelist and essayist.Sanders has won acclaim for his skill as a personal essayist. He is a contributing editor to Audubon magazine and won the John Burroughs Natural History Essay Award in 2000...
, directed by Alex Timbers, with scenic design by David Korins and Gary Panter and original music by Jay Cotton.
After several previews that began October 26 the production opened on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on November 11, 2010 . The limited engagement closed on January 2, 2011. The production was taped for an HBO special which premiered on March 19, 2011.
Los Angeles
- Pee-wee Herman - Paul ReubensPaul ReubensPaul Reubens is an American actor, writer, film producer, and comedian, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman. Reubens joined the Los Angeles troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor...
- Mailman Mike - John Moody
- Jambi - John Paragon
- Miss Yvonne - Lynne Marie StewartLynne Marie StewartLynne Marie Stewart is an American film and television actress, best known for her performance as Miss Yvonne, the Most Beautiful Woman in Puppet Land. She originated the role in the 1981 stage show The Pee-wee Herman Show and on the CBS television show Pee Wee's Playhouse...
- Cowboy Curtis - Phil LaMarrPhil LaMarrPhillip "Phil" LaMarr is an American actor, comedian and voice actor. One of the original cast members on the sketch comedy series MADtv, he is also known for his small, but memorable role as Marvin in Pulp Fiction...
- Sergio - Jesse GarciaJesse GarciaJesse Garcia is an American actor.Garcia starred in the award-winning film Quinceañera, written and directed by Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer with executive producer Todd Haynes, which won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival in the Dramatic...
- Fireman Phineas - Josh MeyersJosh MeyersJoshua Dylan "Josh" Meyers is an American actor, known for being a cast member of the sketch comedy MADtv and playing Randy Pearson in the eighth and final season of That '70s Show...
- Bear - Drew Powell
- King of Cartoons - Lance Roberts
- Other voices by Lori Alan
Broadway
- Pee-wee Herman - Paul ReubensPaul ReubensPaul Reubens is an American actor, writer, film producer, and comedian, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman. Reubens joined the Los Angeles troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor...
- Mailman Mike - John Moody
- Jambi / Pterri - John Paragon
- Miss Yvonne - Lynne Marie StewartLynne Marie StewartLynne Marie Stewart is an American film and television actress, best known for her performance as Miss Yvonne, the Most Beautiful Woman in Puppet Land. She originated the role in the 1981 stage show The Pee-wee Herman Show and on the CBS television show Pee Wee's Playhouse...
- Cowboy Curtis - Phil LaMarrPhil LaMarrPhillip "Phil" LaMarr is an American actor, comedian and voice actor. One of the original cast members on the sketch comedy series MADtv, he is also known for his small, but memorable role as Marvin in Pulp Fiction...
- Sergio - Jesse GarciaJesse GarciaJesse Garcia is an American actor.Garcia starred in the award-winning film Quinceañera, written and directed by Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer with executive producer Todd Haynes, which won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival in the Dramatic...
- Fireman Phineas / Conky / Clocky / Fish / Randy / Shamwow - Josh MeyersJosh MeyersJoshua Dylan "Josh" Meyers is an American actor, known for being a cast member of the sketch comedy MADtv and playing Randy Pearson in the eighth and final season of That '70s Show...
- Bear / Mr. Window / Randy / Flowers - Drew Powell
- King of Cartoons / Globey / Flowers / Mr. Knucklehead - Lance Roberts
- Chairry - Lexy Fridell