The Seat of Our Pants is a musical adapted and written by Ethan Lipton, based on Thornton Wilder's 1942 comedy The Skin of Our Teeth. It opened on November 13, 2025, at The Public Theater in Lower Manhattan.
Plot The play, set in prehistoric suburban New Jersey, follows the Antrobus family—George, Maggie, and their children, Henry and Gladys—along with their maid, Sabina, as a wall of ice approaches, threatening their home. Their troubles only begin, as a flood and world war threaten their lives, exploring the nature of human errors and the cycle of destruction.
Production history The idea for The Seat of Our Pants originated more than a decade before its premiere. Jeremy McCarter, a longtime collaborator of The Public Theater, first proposed pairing Ethan Lipton’s musical sensibility with the Thornton Wilder’s comedy The Skin of Our Teeth, believing Lipton’s songwriting style to be a natural fit for Wilder’s themes. McCarter suggested the collaboration to Lipton, who responded with interest. Development of the project at the Public Theater began soon afterward and continued over the next ten years.
During this period, McCarter departed The Public Theater but has maintained a close relationship with the institution, including founding their Public Forum program. In the years following his initial involvement, he also became the literary executor of the Wilder estate. His early insight and ongoing support played a significant role in shaping the musical’s development.
The production premiered Off-Broadway at The Public Theater on November 13, 2025, starring Ruthie Ann Miles as Maggie Antrobus, Shuler Hensley as George Antrobus, Amina Faye as Gladys Antrobus, Damon Daunno as Henry Atrobus, Ally Bonino as Fortune Teller and Ruth E. Sternberg as Mr. Fitzpatrick. The production was extended and ran through December 7, 2025.
The musical received generally positive reviews, with The New York Times calling it "thoughtful, inventive, (and) maybe-not-yet-finished" and New York Theatre Guide lauded the cast as an "embarrassment of riches," with criticism for the show's third act.
The production was nominated for nine 2026 Drama Desk Awards, two Drama League Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards and an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Diamond.
Cast and characters CharactersOff-Broadway,2025Doctor, Animal, Broadcast Official, EnsembleBen BeckleyMiss E. Muse, Fortune Teller, Animal Ally BoninoMoses, Turkey, EnsembleBill BuellHenry AntrobusDamon DaunnoSabinaMicaela DiamondGladys AntrobusAmina FayeAnnouncer, AnimalAndy GrotelueschenMr. AntrobusShuler HensleyAnimal, Bingo Caller, Allison, EnsembleAllison Ann KellyTelegram Boy, Homer, Animal, EnsembleMichael LeporeMiss M. Muse, Animal, Sharon, Ensemble.Nat LopezMrs. AntrobusRuthie Ann MilesMammoth, Miss T. Muse, Pelican, Animal, EnsembleGeena QuintosDinosaur, Refugee, Dolphin, Larry, EnsembleDavid Ryan SmithMr. FitzpatrickRuth E. Sternberg
Musical Numbers Source:
Act I
“The World Is Ending” “Sabina’s Suite” “Telegram” “Stuff It Down Inside” “Mama Mama” “Good People” “Into the Darkness”
Act II
“Everybody Loves to Go to Conventions” “Come a Long Way” “Enjoy Yourselves” “5000 Years/Come a Long Way (Part 2)” “The Future (Part 1-3; Cirrhosis/Psst Keck/Rains)” “Cursed With Urges” “Family Fun” “Ordinary Girl (Part 1)” “How Uncomfortable (Part 1-2)” “Ordinary Girl (Part 2)” “Poisoned My World (Part 1-2)” “In This Bottle”
Act III
“The War Is Over” “Ruin Everything” “Kingdom Come” “One Good Idea” “The Wonderful Thing About Ice Cream” “We’re a Disaster”
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryNomineeResultRef.2026Drama Desk AwardOutstanding MusicalOutstanding Lead Performance in a MusicalMicaela DiamondOutstanding Featured Performance in a MusicalRuthie Ann MilesOutstanding Direction of a MusicalLeigh SilvermanOutstanding MusicEthan LiptonOutstanding LyricsOutstanding Book of a MusicalOutstanding OrchestrationsDaniel KlugerOutstanding Costume Design of a MusicalKaye VoyceDrama League AwardOutstanding Production of a MusicalOutstanding Direction of a MusicalLeigh SilvermanLucille Lortel AwardOutstanding Lead Performer in a MusicalRuthie Ann MilesOutstanding Costume DesignKaye VoyceOuter Critics Circle AwardOutstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway MusicalMicaela Diamond
References