If you're a fan of "Cheers," the iconic television series, you'll love the brand new play "Cheers Live on Stage," which debuts Sept. 9 and runs through Sept. 18 at the Shubert Theatre in Boston.
The play is based on season one of the TV series and features everybody's favorite characters -- Sam, Diane, Coach, Clara, Cliff and Norm.
The play's director, Matt Lenz, and lead actor Grayson Powell, who plays Sam "Mayday" Malone, spoke with necn behind the scenes.
"I felt right away that adapting Cheers for the stage was a really viable idea," Lenz said.
He said it was no accident to start the national tour in Boston, since the series was based on a Boston bar.
Powell actually worked at Cheers in Boston back in 2010.
"It was a requisite to watch the show," he said.
The Scene
Now, he says it's an honor to play Malone in the play. He says he "got chills" when he first saw the set and heard the theme music. He says Jillian Lewis, who plays Diane, "is a force on stage. She really has that fire that Diane does."
Powell says audience members will love play if they love the show, but he also thinks it appeals to people who have never watched the TV series.
