The tagline: “They've survived ice, flood, and war. But can they survive each other?" The story: a play within a play about the history of the world told from the perspective of a family in the '40s. Credibility: Thornton Wilder won a Pulitzer Prize for this play. The outcome: actors embraced "the undiscovered country" where theater knows no limits in APU's presentation of The Skin of Our Teeth, directed by Thom Parham.
The Skin of Our Teeth took the audience through the progression of the world, starting with Adam and Eve, and scanning over key events such as the flood and the invention of the wheel. The Antrobus’ represented the family unit from the beginning of time until now. As time progressed, the names of those mirrored changed, while character personalities remained constant. Cameo appearances include dinosaurs, Judge Moses, Homer, the Muse, and the psychic Esmeralda. This show would be easier to explain if it was actually explainable, but experiencing it is the only way to cure the disease of confusion.
“Thornton Wilder is an amazing writer with talents and abilities that not many possess,” said Karen Denning ’05, who played Mrs. Maggie Antrobus. “It was a thrill and a challenge to portray the characters he wrote.”
The Skin of Our Teeth is the first of its kind on the APU stage. Not only did it vary from the traditional storyline, but merged theater genres as well. It wasn’t a movie, but video clips were interspersed throughout the show. It wasn’t a musical, yet it included dancing and singing. The show began with a video clip where a weatherman discussed the sky formations of the Ice Age. Another clip modeled a political candidate’s advertisement. The three women playing the Muses performed a choreographed dance while singing. Later, the Antrobus’ housemaid, here representing Marylyn Monroe, sang a smooth balled.
The Skin of Our Teeth is a landmark in norm-breaking for theater. Many worked hard to make this show the success that it was, and the final product is a 140-minute production to reflect on our past and seek the importance of family.
The Skin of Our Teeth continues at APU's Black Box Theatre October 14-16. For tickets and more information, or a calendar of upcoming shows, visit www.apu.edu/drama/.
