Jaws-themed musical BRUCE (Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker)

[Fan123]

There was a private writing workshop in Seattle recently for this show by the BANDSTAND creators. The subject matter isn't something that would naturally leap to my mind for a musical adaptation... but maybe that's a good thing? Points for originality, anyway. I wonder if it'll have a further life. (And if they'll be allowed to incorporate the 'Jaws' film score theme somewhere, heh.)

https://www.seattlerep.org/newplay/the-other-season/current/writing-workshop

"In 1974, a 26-year-old virtually unknown director set out to film the number one best-selling novel of the day. Invading a sleepy fishing island off Cape Cod to shoot on the open ocean, he battled weather, water, hostile locals, an exploding budget, endless delays, and a mechanical star named Bruce that simply refused to work. Out of all this chaos, the world was given its first ever summer blockbuster and the career of Steven Spielberg."

[Alex Kulak2]

When I read the headline, I thought they were making a musical based on the film itself. I thought "Did we learn nothing from King Kong?". This does sound interesting. I love the music from Bandstand, so I'd love to see what the writers do with a 70s-themed score.

[BwayLB]

You have got to be kidding me!

[Call_me_jorge]

Is Bruce supposed to be a reference to the shark in Finding Nemo?

[UncleCharlie]

No. It's the nickname Steven Spielberg gave to the mechanical shark they used in filming Jaws.

[dramamama611]

To which the writers of Nemo were paying homage when they named their character.

But to the musical itself....WHAT? I know this film AND its history inside out (I teach an actual film course) and while there are great tidbits there, I cant fathom any real cohesive story.

Now musicals are going to be "how movies are made" instead of bio musicals? What do we call them...'docu-musicals'?

[CATSNYrevival]

dramamama611 said: "Now musicals are going to be "how movies are made" instead of bio musicals? What do we call them...'docu-musicals'?"

I think it’s a far more interesting idea than Jaws The Musical which is what they could have done.

[BrodyFosse123]

There is no one credited for lyrics only musical score which leads to believe this isn’t a musical. Simply a play with original underscore music.

[Fan123]

This project first got on my radar (...sonar?) due to the below article from April, which calls the show a musical. Of course, it's possible that the article is incorrect on that point, or that the creators have gone in a different direction. Incidentally, according to this article the original film's 'Bruce' was named after Steven Spielberg's lawyer, Bruce Ramer.

https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/entertainment-columns/kats/mark-ronson-opens-nomads-summer-pool-season-1641054/