THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH Previews — Page 2

MrJNLong said: "Saw the second preview tonight and I liked it a whole lot actually.

This has Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' fingerprints all over it. I'm already a big BJJ fan, so it worked for me. He has a very specific style and approach to dragging older plays from theatre history into the modern age that usually involves acknowledging the theatricality of a production, calling it our specifically, and then commenting on that from both outside and within the show. If that makes sense. And he does that again here.

I don't want to give anything away, but BJJ's "additional material" is significant. Especially in the third act.

Whatever you do, do not leave at intermission after Act 2 (or the 7-minute 'pause' after Act 1). if you don't think this play is for you (it is very weird...), you need to at least see Act 3 before making that assessment.

It is quite the bonkers experience. Especially the first two acts, and you just have to kind of go with it. It really hits home in Act 3 though with a lot of poignancy and relevancy.

Lileana Blain-Cruz has quite the Broadway directing debut on her hands here. The direction is in my opinion brilliant.

Gabby Beans plays Sabina and is really fantastic. What a memorable Broadway debut. The script calls for her to switch in and out of multiple different styles and personas, and she is having a blast it without going too over-the-top...she remains grounded the whole time. As awards season approaches, she should definitely be in the conversation.

Another standout was Julian Robertson as Henry who delivers a very moving scene towards the end. It was powerful.

Priscilla Lopez has a fun very cameo-type role in Act 2 and she makes the most of it. Very cool to see her out there with all these new kids (14 Broadway debuts in the cast I think?).

The large cast (is it 28?) was so cool to see, and Blain-Cruz uses them to great effect in the closing moments. I don't want to give anything away, but it was really impactful for me.

Over all, I came away really liking the experience and thinking about it a lot. I am a high school teacher and I brought a group of high school theatre students and they pretty much across-the-board loved it. More than Company and Six and Harry Potter. So there's that."

Love this and won't get to see this - so please spoil everything! Not sure if it will be filmed!

MrJNLong said: "Saw the second preview tonight and I liked it a whole lot actually.

This has Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' fingerprints all over it. I'm already a big BJJ fan, so it worked for me. He has a very specific style and approach to dragging older plays from theatre history into the modern age that usually involves acknowledging the theatricality of a production, calling it our specifically, and then commenting on that from both outside and within the show. If that makes sense. And he does that again here.

I don't want to give anything away, but BJJ's "additional material" is significant. Especially in the third act.

Whatever you do, do not leave at intermission after Act 2 (or the 7-minute 'pause' after Act 1). if you don't think this play is for you (it is very weird...), you need to at least see Act 3 before making that assessment.

It is quite the bonkers experience. Especially the first two acts, and you just have to kind of go with it. It really hits home in Act 3 though with a lot of poignancy and relevancy.

Lileana Blain-Cruz has quite the Broadway directing debut on her hands here. The direction is in my opinion brilliant.

Gabby Beans plays Sabina and is really fantastic. What a memorable Broadway debut. The script calls for her to switch in and out of multiple different styles and personas, and she is having a blast it without going too over-the-top...she remains grounded the whole time. As awards season approaches, she should definitely be in the conversation.

Another standout was Julian Robertson as Henry who delivers a very moving scene towards the end. It was powerful.

Priscilla Lopez has a fun very cameo-type role in Act 2 and she makes the most of it. Very cool to see her out there with all these new kids (14 Broadway debuts in the cast I think?).

The large cast (is it 28?) was so cool to see, and Blain-Cruz uses them to great effect in the closing moments. I don't want to give anything away, but it was really impactful for me.

Over all, I came away really liking the experience and thinking about it a lot. I am a high school teacher and I brought a group of high school theatre students and they pretty much across-the-board loved it. More than Company and Six and Harry Potter. So there's that."

Were you familiar with the play before you saw this production? Some of the things you describe are in Thornton Wilder's script.

I did The Skin of Our Teeth in high school and it’s just hysterical to think children could pull this show off.

I didn’t know the play going in either and all I can say is wow….on so many levels. Incredible acting - Gabby Beans will be a name to watch - great set, funny, sad, thought-provoking. A great take. Is it a bit odd? Yes. But it works, and as someone said, just go with it. It is powerful, and afterwards, did a bit of google research and realize how many layers there were, and with this adaptation, even more.

Can anyone who has seen this speak to the staging as it relates to seat selection? Is there anything that is missed from the 100s and 500s, and is one better than the other?

An addendum to my original review above.

I had not read/seen The Skin of Our Teeth in a very very long time (like a few decades) when I saw this last weekend. I knew the scenes where they break the story and talk to the audience already existed, but they all felt so new and modern that I assumed BJJ had done some significant rewrites (especially since this is right up the same alley with what he did with Everybody and The Octoroon) but after further review (ie picking up the script again at the Drama Bookshop) it turns out I didn't give Thornton Wilder enough credit. Although there is definitely additional lines and some added interpolations from BJJ, a good amount of it is still Wilder.

More kudos then I guess to Lileana Blain-Cruz and her cast for making it all seem so fresh and new.

Still reeling a few days later from the shock of how much I liked this production...

Has anyone seen this and “For Colored Girls” and would like to share which one is better? Really torn between those 2.

MadsonMelo said: "Has anyone seen this and “For Colored Girls” and would like to share which one is better? Really torn between those 2."

Why not see both? Both are not produced that often.

A Director said: "MadsonMelo said: "Has anyone seen this and “For Colored Girls” and would like to share which one is better? Really torn between those 2."

Why not see both? Both are not produced that often.

"

Sadly, I really want to see Company with principals, already have tickets for Moulin Rouge and Paradise Square for thursday and Friday, then Saturday Night Will see Take Me Out with friends.

This lefts me with a single slot.

I want to know right know who are the front-runners for Featured Actress in a Play, because after seen 8 plays in these last days, Gabby Beans is, easily, my pick for the Tony

JBroadway said: "MadsonMelo said: "I want to know right know who are the front-runners for Featured Actress in a Play, because after seen 8 plays in these last days, Gabby Beans is, easily, my pick for the Tony"



I haven't seen this production yet, but I think the jury is out on whether she'd be featured or leading. Based on my memory of the play, Sabina is very much a co-lead along with the Mr and Mrs. Antrobus - possibly moreso, depending on how you interpret things.

But to answer your question, I don't think there are any major frontrunners in those categories, so if Beans is that good, she certainly has an opening.

Incidentally, Gabby Beans gave a really strong performance in "Anatomy of a Suicide" at the Atlantic, shortly before COVID. The role was very stoic, withdrawn, and dramatic - very unlike Sabina. So I'm particularly glad to hear that she's not only talented, but versatile."

If she goes lead, I wont complain, but at the same time I dont think its right to having her competing with Mary-Louise or Sarah Jessica. It kinda remember Nielsen for “Vanya”, she was a favorite to win Featured, but was placed in Lead and had to “content” with the nom.