Richard Dreyfuss Visits Broadway's “Jaws”-Themed Play “The Shark Is Broken”, 48 Years After Starring in Film

PEOPLE has exclusive details about the backstage chat between the 'Jaws' legend and the actors portraying him and his former costars

Richard Dreyfuss went back in time Wednesday afternoon — well, sort of.

The actor attended a matinee of Broadway's The Shark Is Broken, the comedic play that explores the behind-the-scenes drama that took place when the cameras stopped rolling between takes of Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic blockbuster, Jaws.

Of course, Dreyfuss, 75, has a history with Jaws, having starred in the movie as marine biologist Matt Hooper. On stage, the actor is portrayed by Tony nominee Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice, School of Rock) — while Chicago Med alum Colin Donnell plays Roy Scheider and Ian Shaw steps into the shoes of his Oscar-nominated father actor, the late Robert Shaw.

Related: Steven Spielberg Says He Regrets How 'Jaws' Caused 'Decimation of the Shark Population'

Ian, who is making his Broadway debut with the project, penned the play alongside Joseph Nixon. The actor-playwright, now 53, was just 8 years old when his father died at the age of 51 in 1978, but created the play with the help of his father’s diary, which chronicled the English actor's lifelong struggle with alcoholism and tormented attempts to stop drinking.

The action takes place on the set of The Orca, the fictional boat where the three actors wait for Jaws' famous mechanical sharks to be repaired so they can shoot. Much of the play depicts the rumored complex relationship between the veteran Robert and the newcomer Dreyfuss, who clash over Robert's perception of Dreyfuss' ambitions and career insecurities.

Despite the supposed strife, Dreyfuss appeared to be in good spirits as he greeted Ian, Donnell and Brightman backstage following the performance.

An insider on the scene tells PEOPLE that the Oscar winner was complimentary of the cast, hugging them and posing for pictures alongside EGOT champ Whoopi Goldberg, who was also in the crowd.

"Richard said very nice things about the show, but joked that he was on the fence about it," the source shared. "He teased he'd love to go into it; make a surprise appearance, turn around and tell the audience, 'None of it is true!' "

Dreyfuss has a particular history with Ian. The two reconnected in 1994 when Ian auditioned for a production of Hamlet that Dreyfuss was directing. "Richard was so happy to see Ian," the source said. "It was very sweet."

The Mr. Holland's Opus alum also shared stories of his time on Jaws, and was "especially" kind to Brightman. "He loved Alex," said the insider. "You could tell it meant a lot to Alex to have that approval."

The Shark Is Broken began performances at the John Golden Theatre in New York City on July 25 ahead of an Aug. 10 opening. The play, directed by Guy Masterson, is scheduled to close on Nov. 19.

Prior to Broadway, the comedy played critically acclaimed runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and on London’s West End.

Related: Son of 'Jaws' Star Robert Shaw on 'Release' of Playing His Dad in 'The Shark Is Broken' (Exclusive)

Back in September, Ian opened up to PEOPLE about his trepidations of bringing his father's story to the stage.

"I'd spent my whole life trying to avoid association with my dad. He was a very successful film star, but I wanted to be an actor in my own rights," Ian said. "And I thought, as you do as children of these successful people, it's in poor taste if you cash in on their success — you want to do your own thing."

But with grieving his father "behind me," Ian said doing the play "felt like it was quite a release taking a fresh perspective on this, having the bravery to play him."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"Although it was with a lot of help [from] my friends and family, I still felt it was an enormous risk and that it would carry potential backlash of possible shame on my family because I didn't want to put [him] on a pedestal," Ian noted. "But equally, I didn't want to throw him under a bus either. So the tone made me feel very nervous.”

"It's about love, I think. And you feel it in the audience," Ian added, of the play's themes. "It's moving."

For tickets and more information about The Shark Is Broken, visit the play's official website.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.