Stage musical about the making of ‘Jaws’ finds its ‘Steven Spielberg’

NEW YORK — The stage musical about the making of the classic film “Jaws” has speared its leading man — Jarrod Spector.

Tony-nominated Spector, whose Broadway credits include “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” and “The Cher Show,” will play Steven Spielberg in “Bruce.”

“Bruce,” based on “Jaws” screenwriter Carl Gottlieb’s 1975 memoir “The Jaws Log,” 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 “Jaws.”

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 “Jaws.”

In a statement, Spector said it is a “real honor to portray perhaps the foremost genius in all of filmmaking” and that the musical is “about 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.”

“Bruce” has music by Richard Oberacker and story and lyrics by Oberacker and Robert Taylor, the team behind the 2017 Broadway musical “Bandstand.” 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 “Les Misérables.” He played a record-breaking 1,500 performances as Frankie Valli in “Jersey Boys” on Broadway. He starred as Sonny Bono in “The Cher Show” stage musical during its world premiere run in Chicago in 2018.