Press Releases

SEATTLE, WA (March 21, 2022) -- Seattle Rep today announced that tickets are on sale for the world-premiere production of BRUCE, the new musical based on Carl Gottlieb’s The Jaws Log, a novel about the making of the iconic film. BRUCE will perform on the Bagley Wright stage from May 27-June 26, 2022, and will celebrate its official opening night on June 8. Single tickets and digital access are on sale now online at SeattleRep.org. Tickets will be available for purchase through Seattle Rep’s Patron Services Office at 206-443-2224 beginning today at 12:00p.m. PT.

Seattle Rep is also thrilled to announce that Tony-nominated leading man Jarrod Spector has been cast in the highly anticipated role of Steven Spielberg. Jarrod Spector made his Broadway debut as Gavroche in the original production of Les Misérables. More recently, he has starred in the Broadway production of The Cher Show as Sonny Bono, was nominated for both a Tony and Outer Critics Circle Award for his performance as Barry Mann in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and played a record-breaking 1,500 performances as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys on Broadway. His critically acclaimed solo concerts and duet performances with his wife Kelli Barrett can be seen all around the country. Jarrod grew up in Philadelphia, attended Princeton University, and trained at Atlantic Theater Company.

The musical’s story takes place in 1974 when a virtually unknown 26-year-old director set out to film a best-selling novel. Invading a sleepy fishing island off Cape Cod to shoot on the open ocean, he battled weather, water, hostile locals, an exploding budget, endless delays, and a highly dysfunctional mechanical star named Bruce. Based on The Jaws Log by Carl Gottlieb, this world-premiere musical takes you behind the scenes of the world’s first summer blockbuster.

Of Bruce, Seattle Rep Artistic Director Braden Abraham said, “There’s no better way to finish our first season back from the pandemic than with this bright and joyful new musical about a determined group of filmmakers fighting and stumbling through all kinds of obstacles to create one of the great movies of all time. It’s a pleasure to collaborate with the brilliant writers Richard Oberacker and Rob Taylor, along with the visionary director Donna Feore. We've been working towards this moment for a while now, and I’m excited to finally share Bruce with our audiences.”The production also announced the full creative team. BRUCE will feature music by Richard Oberacker, book and lyrics by Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker (Bandstand), and will be directed and choreographed by Donna Feore(Stratford Festival). The musical will also feature scenic design by Jason Sherwood (Rent: Live), costume design by Tina McCartney(Tony Awards design team), lighting design byJeff Croiter (Bandstand), sound design by Brian Hsieh(Jagged Little Pill), projection design by Shawn Duan(The Chinese Lady at the Public Theater), music direction by Lily Ling(Hamilton,“And Peggy” tour), and orchestration/music supervision by Greg Anthony Rassen (Bandstand).

Seattle Rep will announce the complete new musical casting in the coming weeks.