We at Theatre Aezir are having so much fun working on The Shark is Broken. From the intricate props and set décor to the immersive soundscape, this production is shaping up to be a true standout!

- Did you know Jaws almost didn't happen? -

Producers Richard Zanuck and David Brown both received advance copies of Peter Benchley’s novel. They each read it voraciously and agreed the next morning to option the book. However, Zanuck famously later remarked that if they had read the book a second time, they probably never would have made the movie!

They quickly realized the logistical nightmare ahead. This 50-year-old classic was the first major production to be filmed on the "real ocean" at Martha’s Vineyard. Before Jaws, every major water-based film—including The Old Man and the Sea, The Ten Commandments and The Poseidon Adventure—was filmed safely in enormous studio tanks.

- Enter "Bruce" (and the chaos) -

Our play, The Shark is Broken, explores the complicated relationships that simmered between the actors while they waited on the mechanical sharks. There were three sharks, all named "Bruce" (after Steven Spielberg’s lawyer). On the very first day they put Bruce in the water, he immediately sank to the bottom. The "broken shark" essentially becomes a fourth character. Frustration and boredom led to frayed nerves as the shoot dragged on for 159 days—nearly triple the original 55-day schedule.

- "You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” -

Who doesn't know that line? It’s been parodied and reworked in countless films. My personal favorite is from Calendar Girls, when Helen Mirren delivers the line: "We’re going to need considerably bigger buns."

Interestingly, that legendary line wasn't even in the original script! It was an inside joke among the crew because their support boat (the S.S. Garage) was too small to hold their equipment. Roy Scheider eventually ad-libbed it into the movie, leaving us to wonder just how much of the film’s magic was born out of pure behind-the-scenes chaos.

We can't wait to share this "chaos" with you on stage!

The Details:

WHAT: The Shark is Broken by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon

WHEN: April 9 - 19, 2026, evenings at 8:00 and matinees at 4:00pm

WHERE: First Baptist Church, 568 Richmond Street, Clarence Street entrance.

TICKETS: $38.00, reserved seats

Visit events.humanitix.com.