Lily Tomlin Plays California Theatre, 1/29

Ernestine, the most famous telephone operator ever, and the hilariously precocious 5-year-old Edith Ann, will be visiting the California Theatre of the Performing Arts when Lily Tomlin comes to town on Jan. 29, 2012.

The Tony and Emmy Award-winning comedienne-actress, writer and producer stars in her critically acclaimed one-woman stage show for one performance only at 8 p.m.

Presented by the City of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency, tickets to the show are $38.50-$77.50, available at www.ticketmaster.com, www.livenation.com, or theater box office at (909) 885-5152.

The multi-talented entertainer is probably best known for the unforgettable characters she has created over the years, including Ernestine, Edith Ann, and the unforgettable Tommy Velour.

Tomlin, who has won a Grammy Award and has been nominated for an Academy Award, began doing stand-up in the 1960s and made her television debut on “The Merv Griffin Show” in 1965.

She became one of the stars of NBC’s sketch comedy show “Laugh-In,” where she became best known for her characters, who also included the upper class Tasteful Lady and Susie the Sorority Girl.

As an actress, Tomlin was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Robert Altman's “Nashville.” She also appeared in the film comedy “Nine to Five,” and performed several comedic roles in the 1981 film “The Incredible Shrinking Woman.”

She also portrayed sickly heiress in the Steve Martin comedy “All of Me,” and appeared in the films “Big Business,” “Short Cuts,” “Flirting With Disaster” and “I Heart Huckabees.”

On television, Tomlin voiced Ms. Frizzle on the animated series “The Magic School Bus” from 1994 to 1997, appeared on the popular sitcom “Murphy Brown” as the title character's boss. She also had a recurring role as Will Truman's boss Margot on “Will & Grace.”  She appeared on the dramatic series “The West Wing” for four years (2002–2006) in the role of presidential secretary Deborah Fiderer.

Tomlin was the first woman to appear solo in a Broadway show with her premiere of “Appearing Nitely” at the Biltmore Theatre in April 1977. The same month, she made the cover of Time magazine with the headline "America's New Queen of Comedy." Her solo show then toured the country and was made into a record album titled “On Stage.”

In 1985, Tomlin starred in another one-woman Broadway show “The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,” written by her long-time life partner, writer/producer Jane Wagner. The show won her a Tony Award, and was made into a feature film in 1991. Tomlin revived the show for a run on Broadway in 2000, which then toured the country through mid-2002.

In 2008, she collaborated again with director Robert Altman, starring in Altman's last film “A Prairie Home Companion,” playing Rhonda Johnson, one half of a middle-aged Midwestern singing duo with Meryl Streep.

Tomlin premiered her one-woman show “Not Playing with a Full Deck” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in November 2009. She guest-starred as Marilyn Tobin in the third season of “Damages” on FX in 2010.

Tomlin has received numerous awards, including: four primetime Emmys, two Tonys, two Drama Desk Awards, an Outer Critics Circle Award a CableACE Award, and a Grammy Award.

Lily Tomlin
WHEN: 8 p.m. Jan. 29, 2012
WHERE: California Theatre of the Performing Arts, 562 W. Fourth St., San Bernardino.
ADMISSION: $38.50-$77.50
TICKETS: Available through www.ticketmaster.com, or theater box office
INFORMATION/BOX OFFICE: (909) 885-5152
ON THE WEB: www.californiatheatre.net

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