Clown Town apparently was a real thing, an area inhabited by former circus and carnival performers. Burg started jotting down ideas and took about two years to complete the play once he began writing. "The (real) story is mixed with my imagination in the play," Burg said.

The John Wayne Gacy Murders\n\n The IT character Pennywise may have been based on the serial killer. While there is some debate on whether Gacy truly influenced the creation of Pennywise, the two are eerily similar, as both dress as clowns and target children.