Pee-Wee Herman May Return To The Small Screen

Film and television icon Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) brought his signature brand of hilarious mayhem to Broadway for a special limited engagement of the acclaimed stage play, The Pee-Wee Herman Show. The show was filmed Jan. 6 for a HBO Special to air later this year. As reported by zap2it.com, Reubens, who spoke via satellite from New York at the Television Critics Association press tour, told press there's been a lot of interest in a television return for 'Pee-Wee.'

"It's been talked about for a couple of years," he says. "We almost did it for Nickelodeon." Reubens admits he's been approached by "all the networks." "I'm weighing out the options, he says, "sifting through."

Opening to critical acclaim at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on Nov. 11, 2010, "The Pee-Wee Herman Show" is 90 minutes of subversive humor and childlike wonder based on both Reubens' original stage show, "The Pee-Wee Herman Show," and the Emmy®-winning Saturday morning TV show, "Pee-wee's Playhouse," which became a cultural phenomenon. The New York Times called the new Broadway show "yummier than chocolate," with New York saying, "Welcome back, Pee-wee! You were sorely missed," while the New York Post noted, "The audience screams for joy!"

The Broadway production of "The Pee-Wee Herman Show" starred (in order of appearance): Paul Reubens as Pee-Wee Herman, plus John Moody (Mailman Mike), Drew Powell (Bear), John Paragon (Jambi), Jesse Garcia (Sergio), Phil LaMarr (Cowboy Curtis), Lynne Marie Stewart (Miss Yvonne), Lance Roberts (King of Cartoons) and Josh Meyers (Firefighter). Reubens also brought the Pee-wee character to the big screen in "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" and "Big Top Pee-wee."

THE Pee-Wee Herman SHOW ON BROADWAY reunited Paul Reubens and Marty Callner, who directed this new HBO special and directed the 1981 HBO special "The Pee-Wee Herman Show." Callner's previous HBO credits include comedy specials starring Will Ferrell, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, George Carlin and Robin Williams.

Based on Reubens' 1981 cult classic stage production, The Pee-Wee Herman Show, with new elements from the ground-breaking CBS show "Pee-wee's Playhouse" added generously, this new production was written by Paul Reubens and Bill Steinkellner, with additional material by John Paragon. Directed by Alex Timbers (Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson), The Pee-Wee Herman Show featured music by Jay Cotton and the work of renowned puppetry artist Basil Twist.

Based on the Saturday morning television show that became a cultural phenomenon, The Pee-Wee Herman Show reunites the one-and-only Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) with many of the original Playhouse cast of characters - including Miss Yvonne, Cowboy Curtis, Pterri the Pterodactyl, Jambi the Genie, and Chairry - for an all new celebration of sophisticated silliness. An eye-popping 90 minutes of subversive humor and childlike wonder, The Pee-Wee Herman Show charts a day in the life of our bow-tied hero, one of the most inspired comic personas of our time.

The complete design team for The Pee-Wee Herman Show includes David Korins (Scenic Design),Ann Closs-Farley (Costume Design), Jeff Croiter (Lighting Design), M.L. Dogg (Sound Design),Jimmy Cuomo (Design Consultant), Jake Pinholster (Projection Design), and Ve Neill (Make-Up Design).

The original Pee-Wee Herman Show debuted at The Groundlings Theatre in 1981 and quickly moved to the Roxy Theatre On Sunset Strip for five sold out months. Taped as part of HBO's "On Location" series, the show catapulted Pee-wee into the national consciousness, leading to his many appearances on "Late Night With David Letterman," and a 22-city tour that included Carnegie Hall. In 1985, Warner Brothers brought Pee-wee to the big screen with Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Tim Burton's feature film debut (co-written by Reubens). Pee-wee's second film, Big Top Pee-wee, was released in 1988.

Created, co-written, and co-directed by Paul Reubens, the CBS television series, "Pee-wee's Playhouse," premiered in 1986 and earned 22 Emmy Awards in its five seasons. Reubens has been nominated for 14 Emmy Awards, winning twice. While "The Pee-Wee Herman Show" and "Pee-wee's Playhouse" were an homage to an earlier generation's television classics -- "Howdy Doody," "The Mickey Mouse Club," and "Captain Kangaroo," among others -- Pee-wee himself became one of the most original and beloved stars in all of television history.

When Cartoon Network re-aired the series in 2006, 1.5 million viewers watched every night; the next year TV Guide named "Pee-wee's Playhouse" among the top 10 cult classics of all time.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos