The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe - Broadway

Actors Co-op Theatre Company (Ovation Award-Winner 2017 Best Play, Intimate Theatre for 33 Variations) presents the first show in its 27th Season with the thriller ROPE, written by Patrick Hamilton, directed by Ken Sawyer, produced by Kevin Shewey.  ROPE will preview on Thursday, September 20 at 8pm and will open Friday, September 21 at 8pm and run through Sunday, October 29 at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St. 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

?For the first time in the 35-year history of Jane Wagner's iconic play The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, the author and her creative and life partner Lily Tomlin have given their approval for it to be reinvented as a fully staged production performed by a company of 12 actors as opposed to its original solo format.

Today's big news: Roundabout's HOLIDAY INN begins performances on Broadway, Mel Brooks appears at Radio City, and the cast of Off-Broadway's STUFFED meets the press, so stay tuned for coverage! Hello, September!

?For the first time in the 35-year history of Jane Wagner's iconic play The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, the author and her creative and life partner Lily Tomlin have given their approval for it to be reinvented as a fully staged production performed by a company of 12 actors as opposed to its original solo format.

?For the first time in the 35-year history of Jane Wagner's iconic play The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, the author and her creative and life partner Lily Tomlin have given their approval for it to be reinvented as a fully staged production performed by a company of 12 actors as opposed to its original solo format.

LA Stage Alliance Nominated Actress and New Times Winner, Best Actress Susan Claassen stars in the Bay Area premiere of "A Conversation With Edith Head" at Pear Theatre from December 7 through 16. The internationally acclaimed show, based on EDITH HEAD'S HOLLYWOOD by Edith Head and Paddy Calistro, is a feast of delicious behind-the-scenes stories about Hollywood's greatest stars that provide an intimate portrait of Hollywood's legendary costume designer. "A Conversation With Edith Head" previews on December 6, with press and Opening Night on Friday, December 7 (followed by a champagne gala). The show runs Thursdays through Sundays through December 16. All performances are held at the Pear Theatre, 1110 La Avenida St., Mountain View. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.thepear.org or calling (650) 254-1148.

Stages' holiday season offers comic alternatives to traditional seasonal shows with three productions including the regional premiere of the irreverent yet heartwarming The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged), the world premiere of Panto Star Force, the latest in Stages' series of original Pantos for audiences of all ages, and the regional premiere of Who's Holiday!, an adult-themed How the Grinch Stole Christmas parody told entirely in Seussian rhyme. The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) and Who's Holiday! will be offered in true repertory style, playing in the same theatre at different performance times. Who's Holiday! will also include late-night performances at 9:30pm on select dates.

Magic Theatre kicks off its 2019-20 season with Lloyd Suh's intriguing a?oeThe Chinese Lady.a?? Suh's point of departure is one of those fascinating a?oetruth is stranger than fictiona?? tales that are so compelling it's hard to believe they aren't more widely known. His play tells the story of Afong Moy, the first Chinese female to set foot on American soil in 1834. Moy was brought to New York at the tender age of 14 by a pair of businessmen in their effort to sell affordable Chinese furniture to America's growing middle class. They created an exhibition wherein patrons could pay to view a real Chinese lady in her supposedly authentic surrounds. This exhibition proved so popular to the public it went on tour throughout the Eastern U.S., and Moy was taken to the White House to meet President Andrew Jackson. Unfortunately, we have no historical record in Moy's own words, and virtually all of the story of her latter life is lost to history. Thus, playwright Suh describes this work as a conjuring of who he imagines Moy might have been.

Restaurant Row's beloved piano bar, Don't Tell Mama, has announced Broadway 'Boozy' Brunch's special guest line up for November!

Denise Fennell (The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, The Catechism Series) returns for the holidays as Houston's favorite nun - Sister, in SISTER'S CHRISTMAS CATECHISM: THE MYSTERY OF THE MAGI'S GOLD by Maripat Donovan, with Jane Morris & Marc Silva. The production runs at Stages Repertory Theatre November 18 - December 27, 2015.

Denise Fennell (The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, The Catechism Series) returns for the holidays as Houston's favorite nun - Sister, in SISTER'S CHRISTMAS CATECHISM: THE MYSTERY OF THE MAGI'S GOLD by Maripat Donovan, with Jane Morris & Marc Silva. The production runs at Stages Repertory Theatre tonight, November 18 - December 27, 2015.

Just about every Tony Award telecast contains an acceptance speech that gets a little nutty.

Terrific New Theatre near Pepper Place in Birmingham has had a long and interesting history. With all that Carl Stewart and his late partner Steve Stella dreamed for their new venture in 1986, I wonder if they could have imagined that 30 years later, TNT would still be going strong. As Stewart retires, we see a new day dawning when Tam DeBolt takes the reins as artistic director of Terrific New Theatre on August 1, 2016.

From Edith Ann to Frankie Bergstein, Lily Tomlin, continues her run as one of America's foremost actresses and comediennes. She brings her unique comic timing and storytelling ability to San Diego's Balboa Theatre for one-night-only on October 13, 8 pm. From TV to movies to the stage, Tomlin has done it all.  Appearances of her timeless characters from Ernestine to Sister Boogie Woman & Mrs. Beasley to Edith Ann, will make it an unforgettable night of fun & laughter including insights & wildly, witty observations about the human condition.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to drop everything, walk out your door and do something completely new? That is what Diana, the central character in Neil Bartram and Brian Hill's new musical YOU ARE HERE does on the eve of the moon landing - she walks out of her comfortable suburban, Chicago life and learns how the unexpected can lead to a life changing experience. I had the chance to sit down with the duo behind the show, book writer Brian Hill and composer and lyricist, Neil Bartram who shared a little about their creative process, Diana's journey in the show, and how they work effectively together to bring a musical like YOU ARE HERE to life.

Running in rep with WITHERING HEIGHTS, is the one-woman comedic show THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE by Jane Wagner featuring Monique Gaffney and directed by Dr. Rachel Hastings. Ms. Gaffney plays 12 unique characters including Trudy, a bag lady who advises extraterrestrials about life on earth. The role is a tour de force, a one-woman rocket that propels the audience straight into the stratosphere while remaining hilariously grounded in our common human experience.

???????Rainbow Theatre Project Producing Artistic Director H. Lee Gable and Managing Director Michael Kelley announce the 2017/18 season, which will include two readings and two productions, one of which will be a part of the 2018 Women's Voices Theater Festival. During Rainbow Theatre Project's fifth season, the company will be in residence at the District of Columbia Arts Center.

BroadwayWorld is excited to report that some of Broadway's biggest stars are coming out to celebrate international stage and screen superstar Carol Channing, who turns 95 this year, in a one-night-only tribute concert produced by the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, California tonight, March 5, at 8 p.m.

Stages Repertory Theatre's 2018-2019 Season, the final full season to be performed at the theatre's current Allen Parkway facility, offers a dynamic mix of new work, fan favorites and stories reflecting Houston's diverse communities. With Stages' signature breadth of programming, the season runs the gamut from beloved musicals to daring new dramas, youth and family programs to adults-only hilarity, with a focus on nurturing emerging artists and welcoming a wide range of audiences.

Los Angeles LGBT Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center has announced a special limited run of Confessions of a Mulatto Love Child, written and performed by Bellina Logan. Well known for her roles on film and television, Logan brings her acclaimed solo play, directed by Maggie Soboil, to the Davidson/Valentini Theatre for seven performances only through May 6.

Don't miss an unforgettable evening of fun and sidesplitting laughter at the Capitol Center for the Arts with Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winner Lily Tomlin on Friday April 24, at 8pm. You don't want to miss this warm and uniquely affecting experience filled with comical insights and wildly, witty observations about the human condition.

An Evening of Classic Lily Tomlin brings the award-winning comedienne and one of the world's most beloved entertainers back to Segerstrom Center for the Arts for one night only on Saturday, October 22 at 7:30 p.m. in Segerstrom Hall. Tomlin, who is currently in production on the hit series, Grace and Frankie, co-starring Jane Fonda, returns to the Center in her solo show that features her hilarious brand of stand-up comedy and delves into some of the most iconic Tomlin roles from her extraordinary 40-year career. Immediately following her show, there will be a Question & Answer segment with the audience.

Sony Classics has shared a new trailer for the road trip comedy GRANDMA, starring two-time Tony Award winner Lily Tomlin.

Stages' beloved "Sister" returns to the theatre this summer! Performing in an installment of Late Nite Catechism never before seen by Houston audiences, Denise Fennell reprises her role as Sister in Sister's Summer School Catechism: God Never Takes a Vacation!, this time leading hilarious interactive classroom discussions about whether Jesus had to go to summer school and what are appropriate summer vacations for practicing Catholics. Over the years audiences of all religions and ideologies have enjoyed Fennell's humorous take on the Roman Catholic Church, which is neither mean-spirited nor satire, but developed out of deep affection. It's not rare to see a priest, nun or church official in attendance at a Late Nite Catechism performance.

BroadwayWorld previously reported that some of Broadway's biggest stars are coming out to celebrate international stage and screen superstar Carol Channing, who turns 95 today, in a one-night-only tribute concert produced by the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, California on Saturday, March 5, at 8 p.m.

There are undoubtedly other productions worthy of merit in 2016 which I did not cover. This list is based only on what I saw and reviewed. (alphabetical listings; Equity, Equity-waiver & Non-Equity productions are mixed) (artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories) No set, costume, technical awards. I leave that to the bigger awards and to the expertise of those who really know those fields inside out.

FRIGID New York @ Horse Trade in association with Hot Tramp Productions will present the World Premiere KYLE, written by Hollis James and directed by Emily Owens, March 9-25 at UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1st Avenue and Avenue A) with performances Thursdaythrough Saturday at 7:30pm.

Comedienne Lily Tomlin will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 53rd Annual International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards Luncheon, to be held at the Beverly HIlton Hotel on January 26.

'Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism 3 is making its way to Husson University's Gracie Theatre on February 15, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. just in time for Valentine's Day. In this hilarious one-woman show, 'Sister' offers up hilarious lessons on the sacraments of marriage and the last rites, including her own wacky version of The Newlywed Game. Sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank, this show is part of the Gracie's successful seventh season.

'Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism 3 is making its way to Husson University's Gracie Theatre on February 15, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. just in time for Valentine's Day. In this hilarious one-woman show, 'Sister' offers up hilarious lessons on the sacraments of marriage and the last rites, including her own wacky version of The Newlywed Game. Sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank, this show is part of the Gracie's successful seventh season.

Producers Harriet Newman Leve, Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner have announced a 2020 Broadway bound production of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove.

Bringing together notable local actors, directors and playwrights, they have formed a new theatre company called THE ROUSTABOUTS. A non-profit San Diego theatre company dedicated to entertaining, educating, and inspiring audiences in southern California by producing fresh visions of classics, well-known contemporary plays and new works.

'Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism 3 is making its way to Husson University's Gracie Theatre on February 15, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. just in time for Valentine's Day. In this hilarious one-woman show, 'Sister' offers up hilarious lessons on the sacraments of marriage and the last rites, including her own wacky version of The Newlywed Game. Sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank, this show is part of the Gracie's successful seventh season.

The Elephant Theatre Company presents Robert Austin Rossi's heartfelt World Premiere dramaGod's Waiting Room where prejudices collide with the past and present in issues of sexuality, religion, intolerance and love. Renowned Los Angeles theatre Director, David Fofi directs this award-winning cast. LA stage veterans Kathleen Garrett stars along with Jeremy Glazer, Mark Adair-Rios, Randy Vasquez and Charlie Pacello.

Broadwayworld.com interviewed Phil Geoffrey Bond, Producer of 'Simply Streisand' at NJPAC on 2/6.

Performing Arts Fort Worth proudly presents the hilarious holiday show SISTER'S CHRISTMAS CATECHISM: THE MYSTERY OF THE MAGI'S GOLD at McDavid Studio, 301 E. 5th St., December 13-17, 2017. Tickets are $30-$40 and are on sale NOW!

One thing is perfectly clear. Jane Wagner's perspective of the 80s, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe is a brilliant piece of writing. When Lily Tomlin performed it in the 80s (the film version was released in 1991) as a one-woman play, portraying all twelve characters, the charm of the play was watching Tomlin's ingenious skill. She flawlessly slipped in and out of all the characters, female and male, without changing makeup, hair or clothes. It was a phenomenal performance. Now thirty years later, Wagner and Tomlin have adapted the work for a cast of 12 actors under the direction of Ken Sawyer, which opened in October and has been extended until December 11 only at the LGBT Center on the Ed Gould Plaza at McCadden Place, Hollywood.

BroadwayWorld is excited to report that some of Broadway's biggest stars are coming out to celebrate international stage and screen superstar Carol Channing, who turns 95 this year, in a one-night-only tribute concert produced by the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, California on Saturday, March 5, at 8 p.m.

The McCallum Theatre welcomes the return of Lily Tomlin and "An Evening of Classic Lily Tomlin" on Saturday, January 12, at 8:00pm. Lily Tomlin has been delighting audiences since the first time she muttered "one ringy-dingy" on Rowan & Martin's "Laugh-In." In this hilarious one-woman show, Lily performs more than a dozen of her timeless characters, from Ernestine to Mrs. Beasley to Edith Ann. The Grammy, Tony, and Emmy winner uses a fantastic range of voices, gestures, and movements to conjure up a cast of characters "with all the apparent ease of a magician pulling a whole menagerie of animals from a single hat" (New York Daily News). This warm and affecting performance is filled with comic insights and wry, witty observations about the human condition.

Olivia Munn (X-Men: Apocalypse, The Predator) and Niecy Nash (Claws, The Soul Man) announced the nominees for the 24th Annual SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDSthis morning at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.

Performing Arts Fort Worth proudly presents the hilarious holiday show SISTER'S CHRISTMAS CATECHISM: THE MYSTERY OF THE MAGI'S GOLD at McDavid Studio, 301 E. 5th St., December 13-17, 2017. Tickets are $30-$40 and are on sale NOW!

Angela Bassett, America Ferrera, Chloe Grace Moretz and Dennis Quaid announced the nominees for the 73rd Annual Golden Globe® Awards today from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.

Lily Tomlin - an entertainment maverick whose talents put her at the pinnacle of comedy, acting, writing and producing - has been named the 53rd recipient of SAG-AFTRA's highest tribute: the SAG Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment.

One of America's foremost comediennes, Lily Tomlin will play the Fred Kavli Theatre, Friday, October 12, 2018 at 8:00 p.m. The seven-time Emmy and Tony Award-winning American comedic legend will showcase over a dozen of her timeless characters from Ernestine to Edith Ann.

Tim Flaherty's ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS, INC. and Producer Robert Dragotta have announced the 21st Anniversary and the return to the Actors Temple Theatre of LATE NITE CATECHISM, the long-running hit one-woman show written by Vicki Quade and Maripat Donovan, with Denise Fennell starring as 'Sister.' Marc Silvia directs.

Lucy Kirkwood's explosive The Children begins as a caustic, bold comedy between a late-middle-aged couple (Hazel and Robin) and a friend (Rose) from many years ago who makes an unannounced visit to their seaside cottage on the east coast of England. The thin veneer of civility flakes away and the caustic nature of their relationships become apparent. What becomes apparent to the audience is that these three old friends have much more to discuss than just old times and these three actors bring years of experience and flare to the Phoenix stage.

Don't miss an unforgettable evening of fun and sidesplitting laughter at the Capitol Center for the Arts with Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winner Lily Tomlin today April 24, at 8pm. You don't want to miss this warm and uniquely affecting experience filled with comical insights and wildly, witty observations about the human condition.

Geffen Playhouse will honor legendary singer, songwriter, actor and activist Harry Belafonte and groundbreaking performer, comedienne and activist Lily Tomlin during its 17th annual Backstage at the Geffen fundraiser, it was announced today.

At last night's New York premiere of GRANDMA, a much talked about hit of the Tribeca Film Festival, film star Lily Tomlin spoke to Showbiz411's Paula Schwartz about the possibility of returning to Broadway. 

In the video for PETA below, legendary funny lady Lily Tomlin, reprises her role as the all-too-honest telephone operator Ernestine from the 1960's comedy series LAUGH-IN.