San Francisco audiences have already helped The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe extend through Dec. 31 at the Theatre in the Square, but they have a holiday present for star Lily Tomlin: another month of performances. Search for Signs will now play through Feb. 3, 2002. Tomlin, known for her quirky characters on TV's "Laugh-In" and "Murphy Brown," and in films such as "Nashville" and "9 to 5," won a Best Actress Tony Award in 1985-86 for playing Wagner's varied series of scenes and characters in Search for Signs. The script is loaded with incisive seriocomic observations about post-1960s cultural attitudes, expectations and consequences. Wagner, her longtime collaborator, failed to get a nomination. The script of the play, however, became a best-seller and has been re-released by Harper Collins to coincide with this Broadway run.
The show set out on a successful national tour in 1990-91 and again in 2001, following the revival run. Among the roles, Tomlin plays a punker teen, a wise bag lady, hookers, a fitness freak, a husband, a lesbian editor and more.
Tickets are $35-$50. Theatre on the Square is located at 450 Post Street. For reservations, call (415) 433-9500.