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  • 1.  The Skin of Our Teeth

    Posted 01-05-2016 22:39

    Considering this play for Main Stage next year.

    If you have produced this before - how was the reaction to it from cast as well as audience?  How many performers did you use? (The show is fairly 'lead heavy' but there are lots of ensemble parts.  The original cast was almost 40 I believe.)

    Thanks for your time and consideration.

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    Bill Jacobsen
    Drama Teacher / Curriculum Leader
    Hunting Hills High School
    Red Deer Alberta
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  • 2.  RE: The Skin of Our Teeth

    Posted 01-06-2016 12:21
    It is a brilliant play. Well worth doing. I did the show with 12 actors by only having one muse.

    Here is the doubling I used. 

    Announcer - Broadcast Official 
    Dinosaur - Conveener
    Mammoth - Fortune Teller - Hester
    Telegraph Boy - Defeated Candidate
    Doctor - Conveener - Tremayne
    Moses - Conveener - Bailey
    Homer - Chair pusher
    Muse T - Ivy

    Hope this helps. 

    James Van Leishout



    --
    "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." - Shakespeare



    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: The Skin of Our Teeth

    Posted 01-06-2016 18:12

    I have done the show twice and utilized LARGE casts both times.  The set requires creative problem solving.  The show offers the opportunity for some interesting analysis and theatrical as well as cross-curricular lessons.  It is a great journey to take with your students.

    Break a leg!

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    [William] [Myatt] [Drama Director]

    [Pleasant Valley High School]

    [myattw@pleasval.k12.ia.us][563-332-5151][Bettendorf][IA][USA]

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: The Skin of Our Teeth

    Posted 01-07-2016 13:26

    I did this play about 15 years ago.  It was a great experience for the students.  I had a large cast with little or no doubling.  One thing to consider:  Will your audience be receptive?  I recall after one performance, I was sitting behind two students in the audience and as the house lights came up one turned to the other and said:  "What was that all about?"  I talked with them for a few minutes and I felt they still didn't get the pint of the play.  The cast understood, but they had weeks to work it out.  Maybe my dramaturgy should have been more aggressive.  I usually depend on a director's note in the program, but this may need more.

    That said, I would do it again at some point if the opportunity arises.

    Break a leg!

    Robert A. DiMartino

    Theatre Teacher and Director

    Cumberland High School

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    Robert DiMartino
    Theatre Teacher
    Cumberland High School
    Slatersville RI

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: The Skin of Our Teeth

    Posted 01-07-2016 09:39

    Most heartily agree with my esteemed colleagues! It's a great show! Did it YEARS ago with an ensemble that doubled roles throughout. Actually made for a pretty great experience for everyone. I did "update" the locations to be a bit more recognizable to the audience, since most of the references in the script are very east coast. As well, I did the opening segments as video with the help of the local news anchors and station rather than as a voice over. The most fun was transforming the 2nd act into a scene from the "Oregon Country Fair" rather than Atlantic City.  Can't say enough about what a great opportunity it is to do this show! 

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    Michael Fisher
    School Director
    Springfield OR

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: The Skin of Our Teeth

    Posted 01-07-2016 10:44

    This was the third show I directed when I took over as theatre director 14 years ago. I think I remember having a cast of 25. Everyone really enjoyed doing it and the audience response was positive. I didn't change any of the locations (with the one exception of adding local photos to the news segments). And my lead girl thanked me profusely for giving her the opportunity to shine. I say, GO FOR IT! It's a lot of fun. 

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    Kaila Schwartz
    Theatre Arts, Director
    Milpitas Unified School District
    San Jose CA

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: The Skin of Our Teeth

    Posted 01-07-2016 10:45

    OH! And I forgot to say that the ensemble members really loved playing dinosaurs, too! 

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    Kaila Schwartz
    Theatre Arts, Director
    Milpitas Unified School District
    San Jose CA

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: The Skin of Our Teeth

    Posted 01-07-2016 11:58

    I did the play years ago.  I used a very large cast so that a lot of kids got opportunities.  The set was actually pretty simple, and I embellished the moods of the acts with music and lighting.  I had the 3rd act end with a sky of stars that appeared, accompanied by incidental music from Carl Nielsen's opera Masquerade to accentuate the serenity.  The cast loved it!  They really found the entire show quite moving.  The kids playing the mammoth and dinosaur had a blast.  However, the audiences did not care for it - or understand it (which I don't think was my or the cast's fault).  Despite the fact that I included extensive notes in the playbill, and even gave a little "heads-up" before the performances, few people liked it or understood it.  Maybe it's the area in which I teach, but they really did not want to have to think!  In all areas of the arts, they tend to be rather shallow, to be honest.  It's a shame.  It was a great experience for the cast, but it was wasted on the audiences.

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    Robert Byrnes
    Milltown NJ

    Original Message