Alan Ball on the True Blood Musical: 'It's Actually Pretty Good'

The long-gestating musical based on the HBO series True Blood is currently receiving a new round of workshops, says series creator Alan Ball in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The previously reported stage version of the HBO hit and Charlaine Harris' bestselling novels features music by series composer Nathan Barr and a book and lyrics by Elizabeth Scott.

"They're workshopping a True Blood musical. I've heard all the music and it's actually pretty good," said Ball. "It tells the story of vampires coming out of the closet and this love story, and then ultimately it [diverts] from the book series...and they end up going back into the closet."

True Blood follows Louisiana waitress Sookie Stackhouse (played on-screen by Anna Paquin), who falls for 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) as he realizes that he, and other vampires, can now survive on a synthetic blood without relying on humans. The series ran for seven seasons from 2008 through 2014.

No word on casting of the current True Blood workshops, but a 2016 presentation featured Claybourne Elder (Torch Song), Ann Harada (Avenue Q) and Ellen Foley (Into the Woods).

A True Blood musical wouldn't be the first of its genre. Broadway has seen a slew of vampire-themed musicals since the start of the century, including Dance of the Vampires (2002), Dracula (2004) and Lestat (2006).