THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH Previews- Page 2

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/2/22 at 10:06pm

Apparently no

[MrJNLong]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 1:44am

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.

[UWS10023]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 2:01am

What a lovely review. Thanks! 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 4:05am

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! 

[inception]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 8:57am

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 am curious about what may have been added.  The third act has always acknowledged the "theatricality of a production" with actors "breaking character" and the

DO I NEED TO PUT SPOILERS FOR AN 80 YEAR OLD PLAY?

supposed bringing in of backstage crew to fill in for actors taken ill

 

[A Director]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 1:41pm

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.

 

[A Director]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 1:45pm

inception said: "
I am curious about what may have been added. The third act has always acknowledged the "theatricality of a production" with actors "breaking character" and the

DO I NEED TO PUT SPOILERS FOR AN 80 YEAR OLD PLAY?

supposed bringing in of backstage crew to fill in for actors taken ill

How  many people know THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH?  By the way, Rosebud is the sled! :)

"

 

[orlikethecolorpurple]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 4:07pm

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

[sassylash3s]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 8:09pm

Saw it this afternoon.  I loved the first two acts, although I'll admit I fell asleep briefly during the third. I thought the case was great, especially Gabby Beans as Sabina and Roslyn Ruff as Mrs Antrobus.

I didn't know the play at all going in, so I'm curious to hear what exactly the "additional material" was.  Some of it was obvious - Sabina has an aside to the audience where she mentions being out of work because of the pandemic, for example.

[pippy1]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 10:11pm

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.

[UWS10023]

Posted: 4/4/22 at 1:46pm

pippy1 said: "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."

Good to hear!

[Dan6]

Posted: 4/5/22 at 7:43am

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? 

[pippy1]

Posted: 4/5/22 at 9:27am

We sat Row N, Center House Right on aisle so I can't unequivocally say if there is anything obstructed from either the 100s or 500s but it felt like most of the action took place center stage, with some far stage right. But more importantly, I would think no one, at least right now in previews, would need to be far house right or far house left. There were, sadly, no one in those far left and right seats. I am hoping word of mouth and hopefully positive reviews when it opens will change that. This is a show worth it to see. 

[MrJNLong]

Posted: 4/5/22 at 10:59am

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...

[UWS10023]

Posted: 4/6/22 at 4:20pm

The promo photos for this production are awesome.

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/6/22 at 5:58pm

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

[kurtal]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 12:12am

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

Funnily enough, I saw these two shows on back to back nights.  for colored girls... last night and The Skin of Our Teeth tonight.  You can see my thoughts on fcg on its thread.  I'll comment first on TSOOT and then attempt a comparison.

I went in knowing very very little about The Skin of Our Teeth other than the fact that it was Thornton Wilder from 1942, has an unconventional structure and "broke all conventions for theatre" of its day.  And, honestly, I was blown away tonight.  The first act was excellent world building, getting the audience used to the absurdity of the text, the structure, the staging.  The second act dragged a bit, and there were some sound issues towards the end of the act.  The third act left me in tears.  Gabby Beans gives a star-making performance.  The rest of the cast was strong enough but I found them all a little uneven throughout.  Unlike one of the earlier posters, I actually found Julian Robertson's Henry to be the least compelling of the principals, particularly in the third act.  But that's all nitpicking, and I'm sure some of the small pacing issues will work themselves out through the remaining previews as the performers settle into their roles.

Both shows are worth seeing, but they're very different experiences.  for colored girls...is intimate and raw - and only 90 minutes.  This production of Skin is epic and bombastic -- and nearly 3 hours.  If I absolutely had to choose, I would say that I took more away from Skin...but I don't think you'll be disappointed whichever you choose.

 

[A Director]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 12:44am

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]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 12:48am

Here's an article from the New York Times. The opening sections made me cringe, but things improve as the story goes on.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/06/theater/lileana-blain-cruz-broadway-skin-of-our-teeth.html

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 1:08am

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.

[kurtal]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 8:06am

MadsonMelo said: "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'd see either of these productions over Moulin Rouge.  But that's just me.

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/9/22 at 12:07am

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]

Posted: 4/9/22 at 12:29am

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. 

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/9/22 at 12:33am

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.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/9/22 at 1:16am

Re: Featured Actress race:

From what I've seen at this point in the season (which is not everything), I would nominate Uzo Aduba and Phylicia Rashad, with Uzo being a deserved winner.

Beyond that, the category is pretty weak. Is there a standout in for colored girls? Johanna Day in HILTD or someone in Macbeth? Perhaps POTUS will have a Featured contender or two in that cast of hams who could even coast to a win? Pre-pandemic, Sally Murphy was the closest thing to a female standout in The Minutes (and that seems like a stretch). Am I missing anything egregious? ((I have not seen SKIN yet))

Updated On: 4/9/22 at 01:16 AM