BWW Blog: Sarah Osman - OCVTS: Performing Arts Academy takes on Thornton Wilder's THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH (TSOOT 1)

"We've learned. We're learning. And the steps of our journey are marked for us here." (The Skin of Our Teeth, Act III)

The Ocean County Vocational Technical School's performing arts high school, the Performing Arts Academy (PAA), will be taking on Thornton Wilder's hilarious comedy The Skin of Our Teeth for their latest fall drama.

The production is being directed by one of the school's theatre teachers, Doug Bollinger. In working on his first fall drama with PAA he speaks highly of Wilder's story stating, "The story is timeless. Literally and figuratively. It is especially evident in these trying times that we will figure it out, survive, or persevere."

The Pulitzer Prize winning comedy, The Skin of Our Teeth, tells the story of the Antrobus family through three bizarre acts. In the opening act, they deal with the harsh reality of an impending Ice Age, then in Act II the family makes it through a Great Flood. In the third and final act, they meet the challenges of a post- World War society. The Antrobuses represent our perseverance and the ingenuity of mankind as we move through our existence. This wild and crazy tale follows the intrepid family as they encounter Greek Muses, Moses, pet dinosaurs, the invention of the wheel, games of bingo, a boardwalk's fortune teller, red tights, half-eaten potatoes, and famine. The stalwart family meets each global challenge while holding the fate of mankind in the balance.

Through the direction of Mr. Bollinger, both student casts of the show strive to take the audience on a wild and thought provoking journey. "Wilder was a genius. He was so ahead of his time and it's our pleasure to share his timeless tale of survival, ingenuity, and determination."

Performances of PAA's The Skin of Our Teeth take place Thursday November 17th through Saturday November 19th at the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College in Toms River, New Jersey. For further show and ticket information refer to the poster below, and visit grunincenter.org/events.html or call 732-255-0500.

-Sarah Osman

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