The stage musical about the making of the classic film âJawsâ has speared its leading man - Jarrod Spector.
Tony-nominated Spector, whose Broadway credits include âBeautiful: The Carole King Musicalâ and âThe Cher Show,â will play Steven Spielberg in âBruce.â
âBruce,â based on âJawsâ screenwriter Carl Gottlieb's 1975 memoir âThe Jaws Log,â will premiere at Seattle Rep, with previews beginning May 27 and an opening night set for June 8. It is named after the nickname given to the 25-foot mechanical Great White Shark stars of âJaws.â
The musical centers on a young Spielberg facing poor weather, dangerous water, hostile locals, an exploding budget, endless delays and a highly dysfunctional Bruce to make âJaws.â
In a statement, Spector said it is a âreal honor to portray perhaps the foremost genius in all of filmmakingâ and that the musical is âabout the group of brilliant artists who stared down every obstacle imaginable to somehow emerge with this genre-defying masterpiece. I just hope Mr. Spielberg doesn't mind that his singing voice sounds an awful lot like my own.â
âBruceâ has music by Richard Oberacker and story and lyrics by Oberacker and Robert Taylor, the team behind the 2017 Broadway musical âBandstand.â It will be directed and choreographed by Donna Feore.
Spector grew up in Philadelphia, attended Princeton University and trained at Atlantic Theater Company. He made his Broadway debut as Gavroche in the original production of âLes Miserables.â He played a record-breaking 1,500 performances as Frankie Valli in âJersey Boysâ on Broadway.