There must be intelligent life in San Francisco. Lily Tomlin will extend for the fourth time in the City by the Bay, this time taking The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe through March 31 at the Theatre in the Square. 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.