I’ve just returned from a two-and-a-half day trip to California, which I went on for specific purpose of seeing The Pee-wee Herman Show. The stage show, running for just four weeks, reunites Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) with his famous Playhouse and includes a memorable cast of characters, some familiar from the original show and some brand new.

(That’s me pictured here, in front of the stage before the show began. No photos or video were allowed during the show. The photos that follow were taken after it ended.)

I grew up watching Pee-wee Herman. In fact, there were times growing up when I thought I was Pee-wee, laughing uncontrollably on the floor and relentlessly inquiring, “I know you are, but what am I?” But I was still rather young when Paul Reubens had stopped “being” Pee-wee and I never even dreamed I would have a chance to see him in person. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to fly across the country and see Pee-wee’s Playhouse for myself.

Of course, making the trip required a considerable expense. Factoring in the costs of round-trip plane tickets, hotel nights, rental car, parking, show ticket, and souvenirs, I estimate I spent around $600 to see Pee-wee Herman in person. Was it worth it? Ab-so-lutely. Every penny.

From the moment that Pee-wee emerges from behind the curtain to the moment the whole cast takes a bow at the end, The Pee-Wee Herman Show is a non-stop laugh-fest, packed from opening to closing both with the childlike humor Pee-wee is famous for as well as plenty of jokes that only the adults in the audience get. Throughout the show, when I wasn’t in awe from seeing the original actors playing Ms. Yvonne and Jambi or from staring at the entire Playhouse gang including Chairry, Globey, Pterri, and Magic Screen, I was laughing hysterically with tears in my eyes. I don’t think I have ever laughed as hard in my entire life.

Update: Here’s a clip of the first few minutes of The Pee-wee Herman Show that I found on YouTube. It appears to be shot by the TV show “Extra” though it wasn’t uploaded by them so who knows how long it’ll stay online:

This version of The Pee-Wee Herman Show is based on the original stage show that launched the Pee-wee phenomenon so many years ago. It has the same plot and a lot of the same dialogue, which is a treat unto itself as I have watched the HBO special of that stage show countless times, always wishing I had been in the audience to see it. Memorable moments from Pee-wee’s Playhouse and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure are also worked into the act. But the show has also been updated, lightheartedly including contemporary jokes and topics ranging from silly late-night infomercials to even gay marriage. It’s an amazing feat that Reubens and his team can make a show seamlessly work so well for both the child and adult inside all of us.

The Playhouse set was painstakingly rebuilt, not entirely for accuracy, but to give exactly the right Playhouse feeling condensed all onto one stage. There are no set changes during the show, allowing the audience to marvel at seeing Pee-wee’s Playhouse right in front of them for the duration. The puppets and puppeteering are top-notch, bringing life to Conky, Randy, the Flowers, and Fish. Nothing on the set goes unused and no character isn’t without his or her moment in the spotlight. In fact, some of the funniest one-liners aren’t even delivered by Pee-wee but instead come from some of the supporting cast.

I was genuinely sad when the show ended after roughly an hour, as I knew my time at Pee-wee’s Playhouse was likely over forever. I would live in Pee-wee’s Playhouse if I could. But I didn’t stay sad for long, as I knew there was an extra special treat coming next.

The current run of The Pee-wee Herman Show was originally scheduled to take place in November/December 2009 at a different venue. Ticket sales exceeded expectations and the show was moved to later dates and the larger Club Nokia venue (which still wasn’t all that big). In the transition, ticket holders from the first venue had to re-buy their tickets for the second venue and, as is typical with Ticketmaster, there were many problems and many unhappy customers. Fortunately, Paul Reubens is hugely thankful for his fans and decided that everyone who stuck with the show through the venue change would have a chance to meet him after the show.

Around 30 minutes after the curtain closed on The Pee-wee Herman Show and after all of the non-original ticket holders had left the building, Pee-wee Herman emerged once again on the stage. This time, however, he was Paul Reubens. He was still dressed as Pee-wee, and thus was still able to joke around as only Pee-wee can, but he wanted to get real with his most loyal fans and give us the opportunity to hear amazing stories and ask any questions we could think of.

Before the Q&A began, Pee-wee/Paul made a point to talk to every single child who was still in the audience, asking them their names, ages, and favorite parts of the show. He later admitted that when planning this incarnation of The Pee-wee Herman show, he hadn’t initially considered the fact that children would want to attend. He simply assumed it would be all of his fans from years ago coming back to see the stage show that started it all -- a stage show that wasn’t intended for children. But clearly Pee-wee’s Playhouse was for children (of all ages) and he did ultimately want to embrace his new, younger audience.

It was also quite clear throughout the Q&A session (which lasted around 45 minutes) that Reubens is a humble guy who’s excited to see his career as Pee-wee gloriously returning. He admitted to being somewhat of a lazy person and that it took quite a lot to get him to commit to bringing back the show.

Here’s a video I shot of a small portion of the Q&A:

I didn’t have a specific question for Pee-wee/Paul, as I was thrilled at being within a mere few feet of him, enjoying the entertainment he was providing, but I did want to talk to him. So when he came to me, I simply thanked him for bringing back the show that so many of us had grown up with and loved for nearly our entire lives. The comment received applause from the audience around me and he thanked me for supporting him and for being a fan.

The entire 2-3 hour experience at The Pee-Wee Herman Show was one of the best I’ve ever had. And I do thank Paul Reubens for bringing Pee-wee back to the world. I’m not sure that anyone can completely say why the character of Pee-wee Herman is so likable. Maybe it’s his childlike charm, innocence, and naivety. Maybe it’s his witty comebacks and catch phrases. Maybe it’s the cast of characters that surround him. Or maybe it’s just that deep down inside, we all wish that life was bit more like life in the Playhouse, filled with screams, laughter, and where any wish can come true.

In the end, I can only think that if Pee-wee Herman reads this post, he would likely ask me, “If you loved the show so much, why don’t you marry it?”