Cast and Creative Team Announced for THE SHARK IS BROKEN

WHITEFIELD, NH—New Hampshire’s award-winning Weathervane Theatre is pleased to announce the cast and creative team of The Shark is Broken. Written by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, The Shark is Broken is a witty new comedy celebrating the movie history of the original Hollywood blockbuster and opens Weathervane’s 2025 season of alternating repertory on July 3rd.

 

Step aboard the Orca and into THE SHARK IS BROKEN, a witty new comedy exploring the choppy waters of Hollywood’s first blockbuster—Jaws. Short tempers, big egos, and a too-small boat collide in this comedic wild ride.

 

Broadway’s Benita de Wit (Six, Sunset BLVD.) will direct The Shark is Broken. Currently, the Associate Director for Jamie Lloyd’s Tony-winning Sunset BLVD. on Broadway starring Nicole Scherzinger, de Wit’s recent projects include Resident Director for SIX on Broadway, and the Assistant Director for Straight Line Crazy at The Shed starring Ralph Fiennes. This is their first season at the Weathervane. 

 

“I’m excited to be working with this cast,” said de Wit. “The play sinks or swims entirely on the chemistry between its actors, and we have such a brilliant cast. Each performer brings exceptional talent, transforming seamlessly into these iconic movie stars while possessing the precise comedic timing that will make this production so much fun to watch.”

 

The cast of The Shark is Broken features Ethan Davenport (Corktown – Irish Rep) as Roy Scheider, Jorge Donoso (At the Wedding – LCT) as Richard Dreyfuss, and Ethan Paulini (Mamma Mia! and Oliver! national tours) as Robert Shaw.

 

In addition to de Wit’s direction, The Shark is Broken features design by  Jeremy Baldauf (lighting design), Gabbie Flores (properties design), Jason Luck (set design and scenic charge), Alexander Pikiben (sound design), Rien Schlecht (costume design), and Gavin Strawnato (projections design). Additional creative team: Reed Davis (production stage manager), TessaMarie Beard, Sam Powers, and Rien Schlecht (assistant stage management), Vero Villalobos (technical director), and AP Pikiben (production manager).

 

Presented in association with Sonia Friedman and SFP UK LTD and sponsored by A Friend of the Weathervane, The Shark is Broken will open Weathervane Theatre’s signature alternating repertory season in Whitefield, NH, on July 3 and runs through July 26, 2025, as part of Weathervane Theatre’s 60th season. Tickets for The Shark is Broken are now on sale at weathervanenh.org or 603-837-9322. Special events include an opening night reception following the Thursday, July 3rd performance, where patrons can mix and mingle with the cast and the creative team at this intimate ticketed event. Reception includes a complimentary glass of champagne and drink specials. 

 

The Shark is Broken is part of Weathervane’s 60th season, running June 25 – October 12, 2025. Additional Season 60 titles include ALANIS MORISSETTE’S JAGGED LITTLE PILL: THE MUSICAL, BECOMING DR. RUTH, GREASE, WAITRESS, ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS, HONKY TONK ANGELS, DIRTY BLONDE, THE TEMPEST, and THE PRODUCERS: A MEL BROOKS MUSICAL. Season 60 tickets start at $29.

 

Benita de Wit (they/them) is a New York-based Australian director. They are the Associate Director for ‘Sunset Blvd’ on Broadway starring Nicole Scherzinger, and most recently they were the Resident Director for ‘Six’ on Broadway and Assistant Director for ‘Straight Line Crazy’ starring Ralph Fiennes. Previous directing credits include ‘Small Mouth Sounds’ (Circle in the Square),  ‘The Moors’ (Theatre Row),  ‘Bat Out of Hell’ (New York City Center, US & UK tours, Associate Director) and the Australian premieres of Anchuli Felicia King’s ‘Slaughterhouse’ (Belvoir St Theatre) and Kate Mulley and Andy Peterson’s ‘Razorhurst’ (Hayes Theatre Co). Benita is an SDC Associate Member and a New Georges-affiliated artist. They have been an artist in residence at Barn Arts, Catwalk Residency, and Vox Theatre Festival, and they have worked at The Playwrights Realm, Classic Stage Company, The Shed, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Exquisite Corpse Company, and internationally in London, Edinburgh, and Australia.   Their immersive and multidisciplinary work has been performed at National Sawdust, New York Public Library, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and Roulette Intermedium. Benita has an MFA in Directing from Columbia University and is on Faculty at Circle in the Square Theatre School.

 

ABOUT THE WEATHERVANE

The Weathervane Theatre was founded in 1965 by Gibbs Murray and the late Tom Haas and is under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Ethan Paulini. It has presented high-quality professional productions of plays and musicals for over half a century. One of the few remaining alternating rep companies in the United States, the Weathervane is recognized as a historical institution nationwide, boasting among its alums 2021 Tony nominee Elizabeth Stanley, Tally Sessions, four-time Tony nominee Judy Kuhn, and recent Tony Award Winners Sam Pinkleton and Ari’el Stachel.  

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