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

[Fan123]

Posted: 11/16/19 at 4:10pm

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]

Posted: 11/17/19 at 12:25am

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]

Posted: 11/17/19 at 12:52am

You have got to be kidding me!

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 11/17/19 at 1:29am

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

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 11/17/19 at 3:42am

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

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/17/19 at 5:32am

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]

Posted: 11/17/19 at 9:33am

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]

Posted: 11/17/19 at 10:22am

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]

Posted: 11/17/19 at 2:46pm

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/

[Fan123]

Posted: 5/1/21 at 7:07pm

There are some demos up on Richard Oberacker's youtube channel. Some of the videos' descriptions mention that the current plan is for the show to premiere in 2022, still as the previously announced co-production between Seattle Rep and Paper Mill Playhouse.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbmHQow9l_jhpHEzEfko3RiW1nt8A2Xvs

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/1/21 at 7:12pm

Sounds clever. Why not?

Incidentally, the link no longer works (or didn't for me).

[Peronista]

Posted: 5/1/21 at 9:59pm

After all the financial loss from this shutdown, do any regional theaters have the resources to be premiering any of the new musicals that were scheduled in the before times?  Won't it take at least of season or two to re-build the coffers?  Especially for something like this - not exactly a 2- or 3- hander...

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/1/21 at 10:51pm

Peronista said: "After all the financial loss from this shutdown, do any regional theaters have the resources to be premiering any of the new musicals that were scheduled in the before times? Won't it take at least of season or two to re-build the coffers? Especially for something like this - not exactly a 2- or 3- hander..."

All depends on enhancement agreements or co-productions. Whether the audience is made aware or not, many new musicals at LORT theatres are produced with the aide of commercial producers who have the option to move it. That's become its own obstacle because sometimes these theatres can't afford to do a musical, period, without enhancement. Post-pandemic, the theatres may rely even more on outside financial support if they are planning to develop new work.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/2/21 at 1:05pm

I think we're going to see a LOT of "Million Dollar Quartet" and "Honky Tonk Angels" type shows for awhile... boo - this did sounds so interesting. 

[Owen22]

Posted: 5/2/21 at 3:21pm

Sounds like a fun original idea. And the songs sound fun.  The music in the verse of the opening number is a direct steal from "Model Behavior" from Women on the Verge...

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 5/2/21 at 9:32pm

...because there’s a phone? Yazbeck ain’t Alexander Graham Bell

[Owen22]

Posted: 5/2/21 at 10:13pm

BroadwayNYC2 said: "...because there’s a phone? Yazbeck ain’t Alexander Graham Bell"

No. It is a 2 stanza, almost note-for-note copy .

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 5/2/21 at 10:40pm

I do not hear it for one second

[missthemountains]

Posted: 5/3/21 at 1:51pm

Makes me think of Giant Killer Shark: The Musical, which anyone can listen to here.