Virtual Playbill

Meet The Cast

Kevin McAlexander (Robert Shaw) is thrilled to return to the Showtimers' stage. He has performed at numerous theaters on the east coast and locally at Mill Mountain Theatre, Studio Roanoke, Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre, and GAMUT. He is also a long time cast member of the improv troupe Big Lick Conspiracy. In his free time he enjoys fly fishing, watch repair and bull riding.

Bryan Stokke (Roy Scheider) is thrilled to play the level-headed Roy Schieder in the cultural phenomenon that is Jaws through The Shark is Broken. Bryan first saw Jaws when he was a young kid thanks to his dad, who had forgotten that PG-13 did not exist back in the 70s. He apologizes in advance to his mother for all of the swearing.

Nicholas Vogel (Richard Dreyfuss) is delighted to be taking another bite into Showtimers. You may have seen him in Almost, Maine as Jimmy, Chad, and Danny. Nick would like to especially thank his fiancé for the support as they have often seemed like boats passing in the night. Thank you for all you do. Special thanks to Pat, Callie, Lincoln, Jess. And to Bruce, who inspires me to never give up.

Meet the PRODUCTION TEAM

Corey M. Stewart (Director) has a long-standing relationship with Showtimers Community Theatre that includes directing, performing, and some enthusiastic theatrical meddling. Corey is honored to helm The Shark Is Broken and celebrate the beautiful chaos of live theatre.

Jamie Stewart (Stage Manager) is a native New Orleanian and proud alum of the University of New Orleans. Since moving to Roanoke in 2018, she has worn many hats at Showtimers, working as an actor, designer, technician, stage manager, and director. Jamie will be returning to Showtimers in the fall as the director of The Revolutionists.

A Letter from the President

Greetings, and welcome to Showtimers! Whether this is your first time coming through our doors or your fiftieth, I’d like to thank you for joining us for the first show of our 2026 season.

For the past 75 years, we have been bringing theatre magic to the stage, and

with this production we give a nod of appreciation to our creative counterparts in the film industry. The cast and crew of this spectacular comedy have been working hard to present a show that is both relentlessly entertaining to watch and respectful of the real-life personages depicted, and we hope you enjoy the final product.

As we roll into our 76th season, we have exciting new opportunities on the horizon. Our Emerging Artist Showcase is the latest in an ongoing project to foster theatrical skills in a new cohort of creatives and expand our pool of directors, stage managers, and other production team members. Our partnership with the Star City Academy for the Performing Arts will bring youth-focused workshops and productions back to our stage and help educate and support the next generation of our valued theatre community.

Of course, none of this would be possible without our dedicated volunteers – not just those on stage, but also crew members, designers, technical engineers, and committee members – as well as the generous donors and patrons who help support us financially. This theatre runs on community, on the passion and effort of those who love it and want to see it thrive.

This is a very exciting time to be involved in Showtimers! We are always looking for new contributions – if you want to help out, visit our website (showtimers.org), and follow our social media pages for updates on upcoming events. I also invite you to join us for the rest of our 2026 shows – season tickets are still on sale and will help guarantee you the best prices and seat selections throughout the year.

Carolyn Watson

Board of Directors President 2026

Showtimers Theatre

Thank you!

By utilizing our virtual playbill, you are helping the theatre (and the environment) in so many ways. The money we save on printing allows us to improve the quality of our shows, implement more educational workshops, and support our mission of creating theatre for and by the Roanoke community!

Meet our Board and Chairs!

A Letter from the Director

One of the smartest tricks in storytelling is the slow reveal of an antagonist—letting tension and imagination do the work long before the threat is fully seen. Jaws mastered this approach. For much of the film, the fear comes not from the shark itself, but from the sense that something terrible is just out of sight, circling.

The irony, of course, is that while audiences were kept in suspense, the actors were, too. Long before viewers ever glimpsed the shark, the cast spent days waiting for it to function at all. The mechanical beast famously broke down, sank, and refused to cooperate—turning the shoot into a test of patience, problem-solving, and sheer endurance.

The Shark Is Broken is a love letter to the movie that made us all afraid of the water, and to the messy, human moments behind the camera that made that fear possible. When the shark didn’t work, the actors did. This play lives in the pauses: the waiting, the worrying, the gallows humor, and the fragile friendships forged during one of the most notoriously troubled productions in film history.

Whether you know Jaws by heart or simply hear those two ominous notes echo in your head, this is a nostalgic journey behind the scenes—and a reminder that great storytelling is often born not from smooth sailing, but from chaos, creativity, and the people who show up when the machinery fails.

Special thanks to our sponsor, Waterworks Hot Tubs & Pools, for their generous support of live theatre at Showtimers.

-Corey M. Stewart

Director

IMPORTANT NOTICE

CAST

Meet The Cast

PRODUCTION TEAM

Meet the PRODUCTION TEAM

A Letter from the President

Thank you!

A Letter from the Director

Special Thanks

Community Supporters