How British fans inspired the new Scrubs musical
Series creator Bill Lawrence credits fans who attended Zach Braff's West End play All New People with prompting discussions about a stage production
When Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence first announced he was developing a musical version of his hit medical comedy back in September 2012, there was a collective sigh of relief from viewers who feared they'd bid farewell to Zach Braff's doctor JD & co for good. But what wasn't revealed at the time was the role Braff's British fans had in sparking a discussion about a stage production.
Updating fans on the theatrical version, Lawrence told Entertainment Weekly, "it turns out Scrubs is very, very big in the UK. When Zach went over there and did his play, All New People, he'd come out at the end and there would be thousands of Scrubs fans. So then we really started taking seriously the idea of Scrubs as a musical."
Who knew Scrubs fans (and musical theatre enthusiasts) owed so much to British stage door autograph hunters?
When quizzed further on the sort of musical he was plotting, Lawrence revealed, "We have an outline basically showing where we’re looking for songs, how we would intend to do fantasies, how we would use that a cappella band as a Greek chorus that would be on stage singing the theme when people come in.
"It’s all the same characters. The outline is kind of a mishmash of the pilot episode mushed together with the episode where Mrs Landingham from The West Wing dies. We’re combining two of our best stories with what we’re allowed to cull and choose from our best comedic moments and fantasies from nine years of the show."
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But before you all get too excited, Lawrence did stress that while Zach is involved creatively, he won't be showcasing his singing skills anytime soon. "The only people I could see reprising their roles are Ted's a cappella band," he admitted.
For a taster of what to (hopefully) expect from the stage version, relive Scrubs' previous foray into musical theatre below...
