Overview
Synopsis
George and Maggie Antrobus live a seemingly perfect life in suburban Excelsior, New Jersey, along with their children, Henry and Gladys, and their maid, Sabina. Little do they know that the Ice Age is upon them, the Floods are coming, and War is on the horizon. The story of the Antrobus’ journey through time is the story of mankind: surviving disaster by the skin of their teeth. The Antrobus’ weather heat waves and deep freezes, pestilence, plague, dozens of wars and even more depressions, and -- through it all -- they keep moving forward. An allegory for the inspiring journey of the “Ancient and Honorable Order of Mammals, Subdivision Humans”, Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Skin of Our Teeth is a moving, hilarious, absurd tribute to the “indestructibility of humanity”.
Show Information
- Book
- Thornton Wilder
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1942
- Genres
- Drama, Dark Comedy, Satire, Fairy Tale/Fantasy
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- various moments in human history, including -- but not limited to -- the ice age and world war i; the home of mr. antrobus in excelsior, new jersey, and the boardwalk at
- Cast Size
- large
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, College/University, Diverse Cast, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters
Context
The Skin of Our Teeth was written by Wilder about a month after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The title of the play is a reference to a quote from the King James Bible. In Job 19:20, it states, “My bones cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth’. The Skin of Our Teeth won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1943. The play premiered on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre on November 18, 1942. This production starred Tallulah Bankhead as Sabina, who gave a
to read the context for The Skin of Our Teeth and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
ACT ONE
An Announcer reports the news of the world. It was previously reported that the world would be ending today. However, The Society for Affirming the End of the World has now postponed the event for 24 hours. Although the world continues to exist, the conditions are not ideal. There is a wall of ice that is rapidly moving south from Canada towards the USA, leading to the coldest days on record in the middle of August. In suburban Excelsior, New Jersey, the Announcer introduces the
to read the plot for The Skin of Our Teeth and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
|
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
The imaginary wall between an audience and actors. To “break the fourth wall” means that actors acknowledge that the audience is there.
A type of theatre which draws attention to the nature of theatre and performance, often through a "play within a play"
An award for an achievement in American journalism, literature, or music
A production designed especially to show off the talents of a particular performer.
Drama which abandons conventional dramatic form to portray the futility of human struggle in a senseless world.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Quote Analysis
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
