Entertainment

These 5 TV Shows Need To Become Musicals

by Emma Goddard

When news broke that Bill Lawrence is continuing to work on a musical version of Scrubs, I was like OMG-gota see-it because why would you not?! As someone who used to and sometimes still sings show tunes (behind closed doors, belting out “Seize the Day” from Newsies), the idea of bringing a television show to Broadway, or to any stage for that matter, is pure genius. Already, we have seen various movies like Legally Blonde, Spider-Man, Newsies and Matilda (Aladdin is opening soon too, holy f), taken from the big screen and brought to life in the form of theatrical productions. So it’s about time that we see a few TV shows take their place in the spotlight, no? Here are some of the shows I would probably spend a few hundred bucks to sit in the orchestra section for, if they made their way to Broadway.

Supernatural

Right, so I’m not in the theatre business and truly have no idea how you would take an entire series and fit it into one play, but Broadway needs to add a little more fear to its productions. In 1988, there was a Broadway production of Stephen King’s Carrie, and I truly wish I had been there to see it. Unfortunately there was that whole issue with baby making and me being born in order to be there.

There was also Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which opened in 1979 and won a Tony Award for Best Musical. Have all the other horror musicals been in hiding? All I know is that there would likely be a crowd of women lined up to see Supernatural: Hot Brothers Hunt Demons if it existed. Despite my intense stage fright, I would even audition to play Ghost 1.

Bob’s Burgers

Don’t say it, because I know you all think I’m crazy. But don’t deny that the Belcher family would be just as funny, if not funnier cast in a musical? Clearly the episode, Hamburger Dinner Theater, would be the one of choice for the show’s stage debut.

Elementary

Can someone PLEASE bring me some Sherlock Holmes? I’m a pretty big fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s work, so whether based on some TV show that may have existed before my time, Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch, or Elementary with Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu, I’m all about kicking butt and solving some crimes. Sherlock Holmes: The Musical opened in 1988 at the Northcott Thatre in England, but was based on Doyle’s books. If Broadway were to bring Sherlock back for a musical, you’d have to be sure that the main character is just as quirky as his TV show counterparts. Also, I could definitely go along with another female actress to play Dr. Watson, because female power!

Game of Thrones

The Lion King was extremely successful and if you’ve had the opportunity to see it, you’d know that the costumes were dope. Like… best costumes on Broadway ever. If it’s possible to have a life-size rhino and elephant walk down the aisle in a theatre, it has to be possible to have a giant dragon do the same. That, or a flying dragon, because Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark was able to have people fly around over the audience, with a few injuries and such.

However, there’s the question of whether or not nudity would be allowed since that’s a pretty common sight in Game of Thrones. But Daniel Radcliffe wasn’t afraid of being in his birthday suit in Equus, so I don’t really see a problem here. There are so many important characters in this show however, that I’m positive fans are dearly attached to, so if the musical didn’t get this right, it could be a huge flop. Daenerys Targaryen, Arya Stark, Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark and Joffrey Baratheon are the only characters I’m truly concerned about.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Remember when they decided to turn Buffy into a musical with the episode Once More, with Feeling, and it was probably the best day ever seeing Sarah Michelle Gellar sing with awkward autotune? Those were the days. The choice for creator, Joss Whedon, to make this decision was painfully hilarious at the time, but now that I’ve experienced it in full 2001 fashion, I’m ready to take my chances and ask Broadway to revive this show in musical form. Please. People everywhere will thank you.

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