The Robertson Family, the stars of A&E's hit series Duck Dynasty, have revealed plans to create a musical for the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
The New York Times reports that the 90-minute show will be called The Duck Commander Family Musical and will highlight the Robertson's family life and commitment to their faith. It will is reportedly based on the book, The Duck Commander Family: How Faith, Family and Ducks Built a Dynasty, by Willie and Korie Robertson.
The show will not star the Robertson family, but instead feature actors playing members of the family, the magazine reports.
The musical, which will open in February, will be directed by Grease's Jeff Calhoun. The show is reportedly expected to include lots of country, blues and show tunes--and a video of the Robertson clan.
Steven Morris, one of the composers of the "Duck Commander" show, predicted that the fan base for "Duck Dynasty" - which has had as many as 11 million viewers - would create a large audience for the musical.
"The specificity and the strangeness of the family's lives and home are a great fit for a compelling musical," Morris told The New York Times. "I think the expectation is that it'll be all chicken-pickin' stuff and banjos, but what we're trying to do is pull out as much heart, humor and sincerity as we can to keep people surprised."
Willie Robertson, chief executive of the Duck Commander company, said in a statement that the show had been "a great ride so far" for the family, which has approval rights over the script and casting.
"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," said Robertson.
Other big-name producers who have stepped in to help make Duck Commander include Tommy Mottola and The Dodgers,the brains behind Jersey Boys and Matilda. The complete cast will be announced at a later date.
Meanwhile, the Robertson continue to be a favorite with TV viewers; Sadie Robertson is heading into the semi-finals of Dancing with the Stars while season 7 of Duck Dynasty will return to A&E on Nov. 19.
