Synopses & Reviews
Emmy Award-winning playwright Jane Wagners brilliant social satire is back in a gorgeous new paperback edition—new life for the play that rocked Broadway in 1985 and still rings true today. The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe is “a work of genius and compassion,” in the words of Gloria Steinem, and a play that the New York Times called “stunningly ambitious.” Its Tony Award-winning productions starring Lily Tomlin brought Wagners book coast-to-coast success in the 1980s and 1990s—and its penetrating insights into class struggles, social inequalities, and gender politics have given the drama an enduring, wise, and powerful relevance to readers in the 21st century. Fans of Rent, Angels in America, and The Book of Mormon will find The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe as irresistible as it is wholly unforgettable.
Synopsis
Poignant, sharp, and laugh-out-loud funny,
The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe first took Broadway by storm in 1985 and became an instant bestseller. The dramatic tour de force garnered numerous awards for playwright Jane Wagner and accolades for star Lily Tomlin, including a Tony for Best Actress. As a moving critique of modern society, this barbed but humane play continues to resonate with truth and accuracy today. In a special afterword, cultural icons and influencers Eve Ensler, Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, Jodie Foster, and others share their thoughts on how this classic affected their own lives and ours.
With selected photos by Annie Leibovitz and photocollages by Jane Wagner
About the Author
Jane Wagner is the winner of four Emmy Awards, a Writers Guild Award, and two Peabody Awards. For The Search . . . she received the New York Drama Desk Award and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award.