What is Ethan Lipton's "The Seat of Our Pants" about?

Ethan Lipton's "The Seat of Our Pants" is a new musical adaptation of Thornton Wilder's classic play "The Skin of Our Teeth," which explores the resilience of the Antrobus family and the human race amid ongoing crises.

How many productions of "The Skin of Our Teeth" has New York seen in the past decade?

New York has seen three productions of Thornton Wilder's "The Skin of Our Teeth" in less than a decade, with the latest being Ethan Lipton's "The Seat of Our Pants" at the Public Theater.

What is the significance of the Antrobus family's name in Thornton Wilder's play?

The Antrobus family's name echoes "anthropos," which represents all of humanity in Wilder's epic drama about the resilience and failures of the human race.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Ethan Lipton's "The Seat of Our Pants" Puts Timely Spin on Thornton Wilder's Apocalyptic Classic

Ethan Lipton's "The Seat of Our Pants" Puts Timely Spin on Thornton Wilder's Apocalyptic Classic

14 Nov

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Summary

Three productions of Thornton Wilder's "The Skin of Our Teeth" in New York in less than a decade
Ethan Lipton's new musical adaptation, "The Seat of Our Pants," premieres at the Public Theater
Satirical and sincere epic drama explores human failure and survival amid crises

Ethan Lipton's "The Seat of Our Pants" Puts Timely Spin on Thornton Wilder's Apocalyptic Classic

In the past three years, New York has seen three productions of Thornton Wilder's "The Skin of Our Teeth," a play that explores the resilience of the human race amid ongoing crises. The latest adaptation, Ethan Lipton's new musical "The Seat of Our Pants," is now premiering at the Public Theater.

Lipton's version of Wilder's genre-mashing epic drama features new songs and dances, as well as some adaptational changes. The play's central Antrobus family, whose name echoes "anthropos" and represents all of humanity, is once again at the center of the story. As they navigate a world of recessions, pandemics, and oligarchy, the family's maid, Sabina, breaks the fourth wall to question the show's relevance, lamenting, "Don't forget, we made it through the recession-pandemic-wildfire-oligarchy by the seat of our pants. One more crisis like that, and then where will we be?"