Jeff Combs in "Skin Of Our Teeth" (1983)

Just this week, we were thrilled to announce that Jeff will make his triumphant return to the STAGE in July! He will be portraying Edgar Allan Poe in a one-man show entitled, "Nevermore" that will run throughout the month of July here in Los Angeles!!! More details on "Nevermore" here: http://jeffreycombs.blogspot.com/2009/01/nevermore-evening-with-edgar-allan-poe.html To celebrate the exciting news that Jeff will trod the boards once again, we present a small taste of his earlier theatrical work. These two excerpts are from a 1983 adaptation of Thornton Wilder's play, "The Skin of Our Teeth." The play focuses on Biblical and historic archetypes set in present day New Jersey at the beginning of time. Jeff plays Henry Antrobus, the wayward son of "God," sometimes referred to as Cain, who, although trying to be good, always seems to get himself into trouble. It is inferred that like the Biblical Cain, he has slain his brother Abel some time during his short life, leaving just himself and his sister Gladys to be doted on by their mother. In the first scene from Act 1, we see a young and naive Henry, not fully comprehending the consequences of his actions. He believes he can be a good person, although historically, he is the greatest evil known to mankind. (Poor Jeff!) In the second scene from Act 3, Henry has just returned home after killing thousands of people in a devastating war to confront his father (Harold Gould), George, who tries to reason with him and make peace. I chose these two clips especially to show the amazing depth Jeff gives to a character. Henry begins as a naive young boy and by the end of the play has become a bitter, young man. Jeff is so intense and incredible in the role and brings a wonderful arc to any character he plays. This production was broadcast live on PBS from the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, CA on January 18, 1983 and opened their season of "American Playhouse." Later this same year, Jeff would go on to win the prestigious LA Drama Critics Circle award for his portrayal of Christy Mahon in "Playboy of the Western World." Throughout his theatrical career, Jeff played numerous and diverse roles, spanning everything from Shakespeare and the classics, to first-run modern and experimental plays. He was praised and heralded by many famous Los Angeles critics and besides his LA Drama Critics Circle recognition, received several Drama-Logue awards and was nominated for a San Diego Critics Circle award for his portrayal of Puck in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in 1985. Want more Jeffrey Combs? Visit The Combs Corner, http://www.combscorner.com, for the latest news, reviews, and more. For more on "Skin of Our Teeth," check out this post: http://jeffreycombs.blogspot.com/2008/01/combs-cinema-5-skin-of-our-teeth.html