The play follows the saga of an American family’s survival in the face of incredible obstacles: the ice age, fratricide, adultery, the great flood, and war. The story highlights the strength and endurance of the American family as they persevere through life’s extraordinary challenges.
The Skin of Our Teeth won Thornton Wilder his second Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1942, following his previous win for Our Town in 1938.
The play’s production will be supplemented by an Outreach Project, which will reinforce the universality of the play’s themes. The face and make up of the modern American family has changed dramatically since 1942, and the Outreach Project endeavors to connect Wilder’s view of the American family to the reality of families today. The Outreach Project will also partner with local organizations that support families.
Produced in conjunction with the 75th anniversary celebration of Our Town at Ford’s Theatre, the cast of The Skin of Our Teeth will also perform The Long Christmas Dinner, one of Wilder’s short plays, at the Ford’s Theatre on Monday, February 11, 2013.
For more information about the production, please visit The Skin of Our Teeth Greenberg Theatre event listing on the American University website.
Click here for further details about the cast’s performance of The Long Christmas Dinner