Lost Nation Theater presents ‘The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,’ June 4-14
June 2, 2026 | By Waterbury Roundabout
Stoph Scheer, as the character Tina, and Maura O'Brien as Trudy, rehearse for Lost Nation Theater's production of the comedic play 'The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,' on stage June 4-14. Photo by John R. Snell
Over the next two weekends, Lost Nation Theater presents a comedy made famous by Lily Tomlin: “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.”
The two-actor production opens this Thursday, June 4, and runs through Sunday, June 14, at Montpelier’s City Hall Arts Center.
Tomlin won a Tony Award in 1986 for her work on this play, written especially for her by Jane Wagner. Lost Nation presents the show featuring favorite collaborators Maura O'Brien and Stoph Scheer, who’ve worked with the company for 27 and 17 years, respectively. Between them, they play 15 different characters in this production.
Through the eyes of Trudy (played by O’Brien), an eccentric, sharp-witted “homeless woman with a heart as vast as the cosmos she ponders,” writer Wagner weaves a rich comic tapestry of interconnected stories. Explaining Earth to her alien space chums, Trudy introduces the audience to a host of quirky characters (all played by Scheer). The result is brilliant, satirical and hilarious.
“I love Trudy. She is smart, sassy and street-wise,” O’Brien shares. “She describes herself as crazy, but I wonder if she is not more enlightened than the rest of us. As we hustle and bustle through our days, Trudy takes time to have fun, to live in the moment, and to enjoy and appreciate life and all its mystery. She teaches all of us lessons about life that we need to hear.”
Search for Signs won multiple Drama Desk Awards and is celebrated as a “work of genius” for its blend of uproarious social commentary with poignant, emotional sketches of diverse characters. Among the characters are the aptly named Agnus Angst, a troubled, misunderstood teen; the storytelling prostitutes Brandy and Tina; the jaded, privileged Kate; and Lyn, Edie, and Marge – activists from the early days of the women's movement.
Lost Nation’s founding Artistic Director Kim Bent directs; Jessica Della Pepa Clayton is in charge of costumes; scenery is by John Paul Devlin; lighting and video are by Avi Sheehan; Andrew Vachon runs sound; and stage management is by Anna Blackburn.
Bent reflects on the play’s arc and staying power, noting that it was an “era-defining Broadway phenomenon” in the late 1980s.
“Revisiting it gives us a bird’s-eye, rear-view mirror perspective of the bumpy road our ‘baby-boomer’ generation traveled to get us to where we are today,” Bent said. “The play's sharp, insightful, three-dimensional humor is profound and revelatory, and its final statement of faith that our common humanity will eventually be our salvation is deeply convincing and joyfully reaffirming. It’s the kind of theater experience we need now more than ever!”
Longtime Lost Nation Theater players Maura O'Brien and Stoph Scheer star in the comedy, 'The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,' opening this week in Montpelier. Photo by John R. Snell
The show runs Thursday-Sunday this week, Wednesday-Sunday next week.
Tickets: $22-45 for general admission; discounted rates for seniors, students, youth. Evening showtimes are 7:30 p.m., with 2 p.m. weekend matinee times. Admission to a pre-show party with live music and refreshments on Friday, June 5, is included with the ticket price. Find more information and advance tickets online at lostnationtheater.org. Also by phone at 802-229-0492 or email to: info@lostnationtheater.org.
Construction is underway on Montpelier City Hall’s elevator and may be complete by the time this show opens. Performances also are accessible online. Anyone with accessibility questions may contact Lost Nation Theater.