Cast Set for THE SHARK IS BROKEN West Coast Premiere at Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara
The Shark is Broken features Gildart Jackson as "Robert Shaw," Adam Poole as "Roy Scheider" and Will Block as Richard Dreyfuss.
Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara will continue its 47th season "Truth and Illusion" with the West Coast premiere of the hit Broadway play, based on the making of the movie Jaws, The Shark is Broken, written by Ian Shaw (Robert Shaw’s son) and directed by Pesha Rudncik.
It’s 1974. The set of Jaws. The mechanical shark is malfunctioning, the schedule is in shambles, and three actors - Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, and Roy Scheider - are stuck on a boat, battling egos, alcohol, and artistic frustration. A razor-sharp, behind-the-scenes look at the making of one of the greatest films of all time.
"'The Shark is Broken' is a love letter to both movie and theatre fans. Our audiences will get an electrifying behind-the-scenes look at the making of Jaws - one of the most iconic films of all time - as we celebrate its 50th anniversary,” comments Scott Devine, ETC’s executive artistic director.
“This brilliantly witty play captures the reality of three legendary actors being trapped on the ‘Orca,’ egos clashing, waiting for a mechanical shark that refuses to work to attack. It's Hollywood chaos at its finest. The show fits perfectly into our season exploring 'truth and illusion' because it reveals the messy, hilarious reality behind movie magic - Robert Shaw’s journals captured their day-to-day reality and while those days did not make it to the screen it embodied a story that was just as compelling as the film itself. Fair warning: based on the buzz we're hearing, we're gonna need a bigger theater!”
ETC is committed to ensuring that transformative theatrical experiences remain accessible to all Santa Barbara community members through its “Community Pay What You Can Program.” The Pay What You Can performance for THE SHARK IS BROKEN will be Wednesday, February 4. This initiative continues throughout ETC's season, with Community Pay What You Can performances on Wednesday, April 1st for A Night With Janis Joplin; and Wednesday, June 3rd for Every Brilliant Thing.
The Shark is Broken features Gildart Jackson as "Robert Shaw," Adam Poole as "Roy Scheider" and Will Block as Richard Dreyfuss.
THE SHARK IS BROKEN previews on Wednesday, February 4 (Community Pay-What-You-Can Night), Thursday, February 5 at 7:30pm and Friday, February 6 at 8:00pm; opens on Saturday, February 7 at 8:00pm (press opening) and runs through Sunday, February 22, 2026 at 2:00pm at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara.
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