The “Duck Dynasty” clan is about to get more dramatic than usual.
The New York Times reports “Jersey Boys” producer Michael David and “Newsies” director Jeff Calhoun have teamed up with the famous family to bring their life story to the stage in Las Vegas for a 90-minute musical called “The Duck Commander Family Musical.”
“We’ve enjoyed the process of making a musical alongside the team who is interested in telling the Robertson family story from an outside perspective,” Willie Robertson said in a statement.
The musical is based on Robertson’s 2012 book, “The Duck Commander Family,” and will feature a 14-song score created by composers Steven Morris, Robert Morris and Joe Shane. Asa Somers wrote the book for the musical.
According to the Times, producers hope “The Duck Commander Family Musical” will open in February at the Rio hotel and casino — the same place that houses the Chippendales and Penn & Teller.
The family who got rich off of their best-selling duck call, then rose to fame on A&E, are not shy about their religious beliefs, and patriarch Phil Robertson has made multiple headlines because of his criticism of homosexuality.
GLAAD is expecting the musical to be clouded in controversy due to the “issue of homophobia being masked as a religious value,” while at least one veteran Broadway producer is not happy with his peers.
“It’s pretty disgusting,” Emanuel Azenberg (“The Last Ship”) told the Times. “But it’s also a reminder that Broadway is mostly about making entertainment today — not art — even if it means getting involved with a family whose members say things that offend a lot of people working on Broadway.”
Calhoun, who is gay and married, said he was personally offended by the family’s homophobic remarks in the past, but believes the musical “could bridge some gaps” between the gay community and those who share the Robertson’s perspective. David hopes the show will “challenge” audiences “across the political spectrum.”
“The Robertsons are so unusual, their story so juicy, and theater shouldn’t be limited to telling stories about people you resemble or revere,” David said. “The show will end up challenging the views and assumptions of people across the political spectrum, more than most theater does.”