Lily Tomlin Attends Cecily Strong’s Performance As Winning Tony – The Hollywood Reporter

Aside from bowing (or three) and receiving applause, actors often don’t greet the audience after performing on stage.

But last night produced the show one woman Looking for signs of intelligent life in the universe LA’s Mark Taper Forum wasn’t an average night at the theater for Cecily Strong, hence why it took her 30 seconds at the end of the standing ovation to make the announcement.

“I would like to acknowledge someone very special to be here tonight – our original Trudy, our hero, the incredible Lily Tomlin,” she said as she shouted the comedy legend, revealing was greeted by astonishment and amazement from the ticket-selling crowd on opening night. The room aroused a standing ovation that broke out as the guests swept through the crowd to locate Tomlin.

Strong opened the reveal by saying it was something that had never happened before, emphasizing the special night for all participants. Tomlin won a Tony Award in 1986 for his role on Broadway based on a screenplay written by the woman who would eventually become his wife, Jane Wagner.

Look for signs of smart living in the universe followed “the seemingly disparate life of a punk-rock rebel, a socialist, a feminist, and a shrewdly insightful observer, among many others,” according to press documents . Nominated for an Emmy Award Saturday night live The Strong star knows the material as well as the new work was originally produced by The Shed in New York last year with her in the lead.

Directed by Leigh Silverman, the show began previewing at the Mark Taper Forum on September 21 and will run through October 23. Produced in conjunction with SNL honcho Lorne Michaels and veteran stage producer Bill Damaschke, the show will be presented alongside The Shed.

After the performance, Tomlin took some time to chat with Strong, Damaschke, Silverman and Center Theater Group CEO and CEO, Meghan Pressman. Also joining the show on Wednesday are Family boy executive producer Rich Appel and actors Peter Paige, Joe Pacheco and Barrett Foa, among others.