STAGE: The Shark is Broken-- about the making of Jaws
Date and Time
Sunday Oct 19, 2025
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM EDT
Location
New Hampshire Theatre Project at 959 Islington St. #3 in Portsmouth’s West End
Description
New Hampshire Theatre Project
presents
The Shark is Broken
by
Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon
Oct 17 - Nov 2
Fridays at 7:30 pm
Saturdays at 4:00 pm
Sundays at 2:30 pm
October 7, 2025 - Portsmouth, NH - New Hampshire Theatre Project opens its 2025-2026 Season with a razor-sharp comedy-drama about the making of the classic film Jaws: The Shark is Broken by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, directed by Todd Hunter, premiering Friday October 17.
The first summer blockbuster movie is being filmed, but no one working on the film would know it. Dive deep into the tumultuous, murky waters of the making of a major motion picture with testy, feuding costars, unpredictable weather, and a shark prop whose constant breakdowns are looking like an omen for the future of the movie. In this comedy co-written by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, the short tempers of Jaws stars Robert Shaw (father of co-writer Ian), Richard Dreyfuss, and Roy Scheider take center stage as they bond, argue, drink, gamble, and pray for an end to the shoot, not knowing it will change their lives forever.
In July of 1974, Vandermark was working for the Cape Cod News when he and a reporter were assigned to do a story on a Hollywood film being made on Martha’s Vineyard.
“The staging area for the shoot was a large tugboat, and around noon, a hot meal was delivered from the mainland. The leisurely lunch hour that followed was a highlight for me, cast and crew just hanging out and mingling. It made for some interesting shots”.
Audiences will have an opportunity to view a variety of Vandermark's shots taken that day in the lobby prior to performances of the show.
Casting can be a challenge for a production like The Shark is Broken, in which the play's three characters are all well-known film stars familiar to much of the audience. Director Hunter says, "The primary objective in casting the three performers was that they would embody the essence of these iconic characters from the movie Jaws. I cast actors who not only possessed the requisite charisma but also exhibited a natural rapport with one another.
Our collaborative approach encompassed not only faithfully portraying the characters’ idiosyncrasies but also providing the performers with the necessary time and space to develop their own chemistry, which would subsequently translate into their performances."
The Shark is Broken opens October 17 at New Hampshire Theatre Project at 959 Islington St. #3 in Portsmouth’s West End. Performances run through November 2, Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 4:00pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm. Following the October 19 matinee, there will be a Panel Discussion Q&A featuring Hunter, Vandermark, the cast, and special guests. The cast features: Jeff Ripley as Robert Shaw, Dan Kelly as Roy Scheider, and Aaron Bencks as Richard Dreyfuss. The event is sponsored by JCM Management Company, Inc.
Our collaborative approach encompassed not only faithfully portraying the characters’ idiosyncrasies but also providing the performers with the necessary time and space to develop their own chemistry, which would subsequently translate into their performances."
"We have the perfect cast and such an incredible team for this show," says Robinson. "I can't think of a better way to open NHTP's new season.
The Shark is Broken opens October 17 at New Hampshire Theatre Project at 959 Islington St. #3 in Portsmouth’s West End. Performances run through November 2, Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 4:00pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm. Following the October 19 matinee, there will be a Panel Discussion Q&A featuring Hunter, Vandermark, the cast, and special guests. The cast features: Jeff Ripley as Robert Shaw, Dan Kelly as Roy Scheider, and Aaron Bencks as Richard Dreyfuss. The event is sponsored by JCM Management Company, Inc.
For tickets and more information: www.nhtheatreproject.org/onstagenow
