The Skin of Our Teeth: A Play

Time magazine called The Skin of Our Teeth "a sort of Hellzapoppin' with brains," as it broke from established theatrical conventions and walked off with the 1943 Pulitzer Prize for Best Drama.

Combining farce, burlesque, and satire (among other styles), Thornton Wilder departs from his studied use of nostalgia and sentiment in Our Town to have an Eternal Family narrowly escape one disaster after another, from ancient times to the present. Meet George and Maggie Antrobus (married only 5,000 years); their two children, Gladys and Henry (perfect in every way!); and their maid, Sabina (the ageless vamp) as they overcome ice, flood, and war—by the skin of their teeth.

Witty, clever, and provocative, The Skin of Our Teeth showcases Wilder’s storytelling genius and his extraordinary talents at delving deep into the human psyche.

This is the story of humanity—hilarious, heartbreaking, and perpetually on the brink of collapse.

• Breaks the Fourth Wall: Follow the maid Sabina as she stops the play, complains about her lines, and speaks directly to the audience in a revolutionary work of American drama.
• The Eternal Family: Meet the Antrobuses, who have weathered the Ice Age, the Great Flood, and devastating wars. They have a dinosaur for a pet, their son is Cain, and they’ve been married for 5,000 years.
• Apocalyptic Story: From a wall of ice descending on suburban New Jersey to a world-ending deluge in Atlantic City, humanity always survives…by the skin of its teeth.
• Satirical Play: Experience Wilder's masterful blend of high-brow philosophy with low-brow slapstick, burlesque, and razor-sharp satire on the conventions of society and the stage.