Basil Twist News

The Pee-wee Herman Show begins previews October 26 and opens on November 11, 2010 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. Click below for a first look at some show clips!

What puppeteer doesn't wonder what will happen to him as he impersonates the creator? In 'Wake Up, You're Dead!,' Aaron Haskell of Brooklyn Art Department (www.brooklynartdepartment.com), one of the original designers of Nightmare: NYC's Haunted House, gives us a Halloween-flavored creation myth. It's a De La Guarda-type event and spectacle that adds a late-night attraction to 'La MaMa Puppet Series IV--Built to Perform.' It will be presented October 29 to November 7 in the second-floor Club of La MaMa E.T.C., 74A East Fourth Street.

Winners of Drama Desk Awards for the 2009/2010 New York theater season received their engraved trophies at a cocktail reception in their honor last week at Il Punto Ristorante. BroadwayWorld was on hand and brings you photo coverage of the trophy ceremony below.

To add a family theater component to 'La MaMa Puppet Series IV -- Built to Perform,' La MaMa will present Jane Catherine Shaw in a solo show of found object puppetry, 'Folk Tales of Asia and Africa,' from October 16 to November 7.

Even as its shows reach New York and London, Berkeley Repertory Theatre begins another season of fearless theatre here at home: Emmy- and Tony Award-winning actor Mandy Patinkin stars in the world-premiere production of Compulsion on Berkeley Rep's intimate Thrust Stage. Acclaimed director Oskar Eustis returns to the Bay Area with Rinne Groff's latest play, a kaleidoscopic collision of history and culture that combines stellar acting with marvelous marionettes. Compulsion, a world-premiere co-production from Berkeley Rep, The Public Theater, and Yale Repertory Theatre, begins previews on September 13, opens September 16, and closes October 31.

Following on the heels of last year's sensational Il mondo della luna at the Hayden Planetarium, Gotham Chamber Opera announces that The New 42nd Street presents, at The New Victory Theater, a Gotham Chamber Opera and Tectonic Theater Project production in association with Blind Summit Theatre, Xavier Montsalvatge's El gato con botas (Puss in Boots), a stunning new production of the classic children's tale directed by Moisés Kaufman and conducted by Neal Goren, which will be presented in October 2010.

Producer Scott Sanders has announced additional cast members for the upcoming Broadway engagement of the highly anticipated stage play, The Pee-wee Herman Show.

'La MaMa Puppet Series IV -- Built to Perform,' the latest in La MaMa's celebrated annual puppet program, will premiere five adult puppet theater productions and remount a popular children's attraction this fall, exploring the artistic and creative possibilities of puppetry in all its forms. The series will run from October 14 to November 28, 2010.

Following on the heels of last year's sensational Il mondo della luna at the Hayden Planetarium, Gotham Chamber Opera announces that The New 42nd Street presents, at The New Victory Theater, a Gotham Chamber Opera and Tectonic Theater Project production in association with Blind Summit Theatre, Xavier Montsalvatge's El gato con botas (Puss in Boots), a stunning new production of the classic children's tale directed by Moisés Kaufman and conducted by Neal Goren, which will be presented in October 2010.

Check out this Funny or Die video featuring the adventures of the one and only Pee-wee Herman at the 70th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast for its upcoming production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, playing in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre July 20 - August 22, 2010 (press opening: July 27 at 7:00 pm).

La Jolla Playhouse presents its production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, playing in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre through August 22, 2010.

Nine theater artists will be honored by the Henry Hewes Design Awards Committee during the presentation of its 46th Annual Awards in a luncheon ceremony this fall. Eighty-one theater artists were nominated for outstanding artistry in 46 productions presented during the 2009-2010 New York theater season. (A complete list of nominees follows this awards announcement.)

Producer Scott Sanders announced today that an additional four weeks of performances have been added to the limited Broadway engagement of the highly anticipated stage play, The Pee-wee Herman Show. Beginning previews October 26 and opening on November 11, the limited engagement was originally scheduled to run through December 5. The engagement will now add 32 performances and run through the Christmas and New Year's holidays, giving its final Broadway performance on January 2, 2011 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43rd street).

Even as its shows reach New York and London, Berkeley Repertory Theatre begins another season of fearless theatre here at home: Emmy- and Tony Award-winning actor Mandy Patinkin stars in the world-premiere production of Compulsion on Berkeley Rep's intimate Thrust Stage. Acclaimed director Oskar Eustis returns to the Bay Area with Rinne Groff's latest play, a kaleidoscopic collision of history and culture that combines stellar acting with marvelous marionettes. Compulsion, a world-premiere co-production from Berkeley Rep, The Public Theater, and Yale Repertory Theatre, begins previews on September 13, opens September 16, and closes October 31.

La Jolla Playhouse presents its production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, playing in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre through August 22, 2010 (press opening: July 27 at 7:00 pm).

As BroadwayWorld has previously announced. Producer Scott Sanders will be bringing film and television icon Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) will bring his signature brand of hilarious mayhem to Broadway for a special six-week limited engagement of the acclaimed stage play, The Pee-wee Herman Show. 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 is 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 will feature music by Jay Cotton and the work of renowned puppetry artist Basil Twist. Direct from its acclaimed, sold-out run in Los Angeles, The Pee-wee Herman Show will begin its 48-performance limited run on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 and officially open on Thursday, November 11 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43rd street). The engagement will run through December 5. Just moments ago, Pee-wee himself revealed via his twitter feed a first look at the Broadway artwork for the upcoming production! BroadwayWorld brings you the image below.

La Jolla Playhouse presents its production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, playing in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre through August 22, 2010 (press opening: July 27 at 7:00 pm).

La Jolla Playhouse presents its production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, playing in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre July 20 - August 22, 2010 (press opening: July 27 at 7:00 pm).

Variety reports that Judd Apatow may be teaming up with funnyman Paul Ruebens ('Pee-wee Herman) on a big screen project for Universal. Apatow will produce, but not direct, the film through Apatow Productions Company. Reubens is collaborating with Paul Rust (Inglourious Basterds, I Love You, Beth Cooper) on the screenplay, which is expected to be a family road trip adventure film.