Who adapted Cheers: Live on Stage?

Erik Forrest Jackson adapted Cheers: Live on Stage. The production was a theatrical version of the television sitcom, built from recognizable material and characters from the original series rather than being a wholly new story.

The stage adaptation opened at Boston’s Shubert Theatre on September 9, 2016. Its setting echoed the show’s fictional Massachusetts bar, and the cast recreated familiar figures including Sam Malone, Diane Chambers, Coach, Carla Tortelli, Norm Peterson, and Cliff Clavin.

Jackson was the adapter and writer, while Matt Lenz directed the production. That distinction causes a common mix-up: Lenz was a major part of the creative team, but he did not adapt the script. The production was scheduled for a national tour, though the planned tour was canceled later in 2016.