The Skin Of Our Teeth in the Event of an Air Raid
On August 7, 1955, a special limited engagement revival of Thornton Wilder's THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH opened at the Anta Playhouse (Wilson), produced with Robert Whitehead, directed by Alan Schneider. This was at the peak of anti-Communist hysteria, and the fear of nuclear attack.
At the top of the Playbill title page are these words: "IN THE EVENT OF AN AIR RAID ALARM REMAIN IN YOUR SEATS AND OBEY THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE MANAGEMENT"
The production opened in Paris then played Chicago and Washington before Broadway.
Mr & Mrs Antrobus were Ms Helen Hayes and George Abbott. This was Mr Abbott's first stage appearance since he directed himself in JOHN BROWN at the Barrymore in 1933.
Mary Martin played the saucy maid Sabina, and Florence Reed reprised her original star turn as the Fortune Teller. The great Jamaican actor Frank Silvera was in the cast, as was Frances Sternhagen as Miss T Muse, in her Broadway debut.
The Wilder Family thanks Martin Platt for this piece.