Synopsis
Meet George and Maggie Antrobus of Excelsior, New Jersey, a suburban, commuter-town couple (married for 5,000 years), who bear more than a casual resemblance to that first husband and wife, Adam and Eve: the two Antrobus children, Gladys (perfect in every way, of course) and Henry (who likes to throw rocks and was formerly known as Cain); and their garrulous maid, Sabina (the eternal seductress), who takes it upon herself to break out of character and interrupt the course of the drama at every opportunity (“I don’t understand a word of this play!”). Whether he is inventing the alphabet or merely saving the world from apocalypse, George and his redoubtable family somehow manage to survive — by the skin of their teeth.
Completed by the author less than a month after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1971, The Skin of Our Teeth (1942) broke from established theatrical conventions and walked off with the 1943 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Combining farce, burlesque, and satire, and elements of the comic strip, Thornton Wilder depicts an Everyman Family as it narrowly escapes one end-of-the-world disaster after another, from the Ice Age to flood to war.
Characters
Characters Description:
Auditionees for Mr Antrobus, Mrs Antrobus, Henry, Gladys, Sabina:
Please prepare a 1 to 2 minute monologue of your choice. Comedy is preferred, however if you have a dramatic piece that’s fine too. Choose something that you feel most confident in performing, that you already have in your back pocket and not something that is related to the play.
We will also give you something selected from the play to read on the night, you do not need to learn it or be off book, but upon confirming your timeslot we will share the excerpts with you so that you can get familiar with it prior to your audition.
Auditionees for the Ensemble:
Upon booking your audition timeslot, you will be provided with a short, pre-selected piece that we would like you to prepare for your audition. It will be no more than 1 - 2 minutes in length. You do not have to be off book for the audition, but we’ll be looking at how you choose to bring the piece to life.
We may or may not require you to read something from the play at your audition as well - however, this will not be indicative of whether your audition is successful and you will not be required to learn anything from the play prior to the first audition.
Accents: All auditionees are required to use a Generic American/New Jersey accent.
Special skills: Actors with any special skills (such as juggling, magic tricks, gymnastics, ballooning, acrobatics, baton twirling, mime, clowning, puppetry, ventriloquism, musical instruments etc) are encouraged to include this in their audition request email and/or incorporate it into their audition.
Mr George Antrobus (35 - 55) LEAD
Playing age of early - mid 40’s
Mr. Antrobus is charismatic, a highly respected member of his community and the patriarch of the Antrobus family. He represents the aspirational ‘everyman’, just a good guy, doing his best for his family and by extension the entire human race (which actually is the same thing in the context of this play!). A bit of a genius but also a likable buffoon, Mr. Antrobus is a brilliant inventor, the President of the Ancient and Honorable Order of Mammals: Subdivision Humans, and a soldier in the Great War. Despite his occasional wandering eye, at the end of the day, Mr Antrobus is perpetually an earnest, glass half full type of guy, always striving to ensure his family and the world continue to survive.
Mrs Maggie Antrobus (35 - 55) LEAD
Playing age of early - mid 40’s
The matriarch of the Antrobus family, appearing to live beneath a shadow of domestic duty, but could
she be the Antrobus who’s really in charge? Mrs. Antrobus is fiercely protective of her children, and
even more protective of the quaint little suburban home that her family has built. She understands the
importance of accountability and protecting what you have earned and worked hard for. She does not
suffer fools - whether they’re family or not. She’s strict, but she’s fair. More than anyone else on
stage, Mrs. Antrobus remains grounded, rational, and authentically herself, throughout the course of
the play’s story.
Henry Antrobus (25 - 35) SUPPORTING
Playing age of ‘9’ to early 20s - ages 9 to 20-ish over the course of the play
Note on casting for this role: The role of Henry requires the actor to embody a representation of a childlike
presence, without actually being a ‘child’, so to speak. Looking for an actor in their mid 20s - 30s, or who can
interpret and deliver this roles’ duality effectively.
Henry is a bit of a mischief maker, a Dennis the Menace — he’s a bit awkward and ungainly, and
bubbles with resentment and anger wherever he goes. As a child, this makes him a bit of a
dangerous troublemaker (he has a bad habit of throwing rocks at people’s heads). He’s actually killed
his own brother this way, which has already happened before the action of the play takes place. As a
young adult, his violent streak evolves into Henry becoming a ruthless killer, who fights his own father
while serving as a soldier on the “wrong” side of the war. An energetic, impulsive child and a haunted,
violent adult.
Gladys Antrobus (25 - 35) SUPPORTING
Playing age of ‘8’ to early 20s - Ages from 8 to 20s or so over the course of the play
Note on casting for this role: The role of Gladys requires the actor to embody a representation of a childlike presence, without actually being a ‘child’, so to speak. Looking for an actor in their mid 20s - 30s, or who can interpret and deliver this roles’ duality effectively.
A bundle of energy, Gladys is less destructive than her brother, but no less eager. She’s an excellent student, but she knows it, and is always glad to have the chance to prove herself or get a pat on the back. Gladys attempts to wear makeup and stylish clothes as she becomes increasingly aware of her burgeoning womanhood (despite her mother’s intense disapproval). As she grows into a woman, Gladys becomes more grounded and serious, finding beauty in simple things rather than the material — the sky, fresh air, freedom. An energetic young child and a serious, war-weary adult.
Sabina (25 - 35) LEAD
Playing age of late 20s - mid/late 30’s
The housemaid at the Antrobus house, who doesn’t really dress like or act like a housemaid. She’s “over-rouged,” a bit of a tart and represents a version of the stock role from Farce of the ‘smart-mouthed maid’. Sabina expresses nothing but admiration for her employers, and fawns over their children — at least until she becomes irritated and gives her two-weeks notice (which happens often, since she never follows through). Sabina loves the movies, movie stars, and the lavish world she sees in films — she does not like work. Sabina frequently breaks the fourth wall, commenting on
her dislike for a given scene or line, or for the entire play. In the second act, Sabina appears in the form of a sexy, seductive, and scheming beauty queen who tries to lure Mr Antrobus away from his family.
Featured/Ensemble (20 - 55) x 4 - 6 actors
Playing ages ranging from 20’s - 80’s
4 - 6 versatile actors required to play upwards of 26 roles, including the Announcer, Mammoth, Dinosaur, Fortune Teller, Telegraph Boy, and many others. Super fun for actors skilled in physical performance, bold characters and comic timing. All of these roles are speaking parts varying in length and stage time.
A note on casting: The creative team behind this production of The Skin of our Teeth is committed to diversity and inclusion across race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation. Whilst the characters are white in appearance, we strongly encourage submissions from First Nations actors, actors from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, neurodiverse actors, actors with disability and actors who identify as LGBTQIA+
Precast Characters:
None
Audition Venue & Dates
Audition Dates and Times:
2:00pm on:
6:00pm on:
7:00pm on:
- Thu 1st Feb 2024
- Fri 1st Mar 2024
Audition Venue Name: Essendon Theatre Company
Audition Venue Address:
Bradshaw Street Community Hall
Bradshaw Street (off Buckley Street)
West Essendon VIC 3040
Audition Enquiries Contact: Please send an email requesting your preferred audition date/time and roles you are interested in, with your CV and headshot attached to: skinofourteethetc@gmail.com by no later than THURSDAY 22ND FEBRUARY 2024.
Performances
Season Dates: 13 Jun 2024 - 22 Jun 2024
Showtimes:
2:00pm on:
7:30pm on:
- Thu 13th Jun 2024
- Fri 14th Jun 2024
- Sat 15th Jun 2024
- Thu 20th Jun 2024
- Fri 21st Jun 2024
- Sat 22nd Jun 2024
More info
Other Information
Other Information:
Successful cast MUST BE available for rehearsal period as well as all production dates. Please check you are available for all performance dates before booking your audition time.
ETC is a community theatre company and, as such, no actors are paid.
Bookings essential for audition time.
Please arrive 10 minutes before audition time.
Please ensure you are available for all performance dates and times
Important Dates/Rehearsals
First read through of script: between March 10 - March 17 (TBC exact date pending casting progress)
Rehearsals will start from March 24th 2024 and be held multiple times per week on Tuesday nights, Thursday nights and Sundays (some flexibility around exact days/times at the discretion of the director and ETC; Final rehearsal schedule dates and times will be confirmed once casting is finalised).
All actors cast must have full availability over the entire rehearsal period (some flexibility possible but must be arranged ahead of time and within reason) with mandatory attendance required at all rehearsals from May 15th onwards.
Tech and Production Rehearsals: June 1st onwards - all actors expected to be available for additional/longer rehearsals and tech.
