The Shark is Broken by Ian Shaw & Joseph Nixon
1974. The open ocean. A sinking ship (almost).
Filming Jaws is a nightmare. The weather is hell, the mechanical shark is on the fritz, and the actors? Trapped together on a too-small boat, battling egos, booze, and boredom. Robert Shaw—the old-school pro. Richard Dreyfuss—the young upstart. Roy Scheider—caught in the crossfire. As tension rises and patience wears thin, Hollywood chaos churns beneath the surface. But from the wreckage, something legendary is born.
Fifty years later, the shark still haunts us. But the real storm? It was behind the scenes. Jaws isn’t funny—but The Shark is Broken is absolutely hilarious.
Directed by:
Steve Parys
Featuring:
Patrick Cannon
Patrick Jordan
Quinn Patrick Shannon (May 30 - June 15)
Michael Patrick Trimm (June 18 - 22)
Location:
barebones black box theater, 1211 Braddock Avenue, Braddock, PA 15104
Dates and Showtimes:
May 30 - June 22, 2025
8PM on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 2PM on Sundays (and 5PM on Sunday June 8th, and 12PM and 3PM on June 22nd)
**EIGHT SHOWS ADDED: Wednesdays, June 4 and 11 at 8PM, Saturday, June 7 at 2PM, and Sunday, June 8 at 5PM
Wednesday, June 18 and Thursday, June 19 at 8PM, and Sunday, June 22 at 12PM and 3PM
Ticket Prices:
May 30 - June 4: $40/ticket
June 5: Pay What You Can
June 6 - 8: $40/ticket
June 11 - 22: $50/ticket
Photo Credit: Duane Rieder
Photo Credit: Duane Rieder
PHoto Credit: Duane Rieder
“Barebones Lands a Big One with ‘The Shark Is Broken’”
“As the various pieces came together, I found myself laughing from the gut. And at the same time I felt for the characters, cared about them, from the heart. ”
“The Shark is Broken is a jet-black comedy that proves to be a marvelous showcase for Shannon, Cannon and Jordan.”
“Shannon inhabits Richard Dreyfuss body and soul. He looks and sounds like Dreyfuss. It’s hard to remember that he isn’t.”
“a perfect mechanical fish story”
“It is a bitingly funny nostalgia trip, just right for the 50th anniversary of Jaws, and an emotional feast for three local actors to sink their teeth into.”