Moonshine @ Dallas Theater Center--soon to bring the hoedown to B'way?

I was at a conference in Dallas and able to catch Moonshine, which is doing its out of town tryout at the Dallas Theater Center. Probably a lot of preconceived notions about this, but my advice is to put them aside because the show is a great time. My family watched Hee Haw when I was a kid, but I wanted to watch M*A*S*H. I really enjoyed this show.

It isn’t like Hee Haw, yet it is. There is that homespun, “korny” humor, but it comes out of the mouths of characters as part of the plot. There is the cornfield, but it’s used as an ensemble device to move the story forward rather than having characters pop up to insert random jokes. There is a linear plot, and although it treads familiar rom-com territory, it does so the way good rom-coms do, by giving you charming characters whose actions seem believable and earning its resolution. The show is advertising the basic storyline: hometown sweetheart Misty Mae leaves her downhome roots in Kornfield Kounty to go to the big city of Tampa, where she meets a shyster who sees an opportunity to steal valuable mineral rights out from under Misty and her Grandpa. Instead of Buck Owens and Roy Clark, they use two “Mountaineers” to narrate the story about “a wedding that almost never happened.” While the characters in a show like this will inevitably play into stereotypes, the writers and actors have to strike a balance between making them cartoon-like and too wise to be believed. I thought they succeeded for the most part.

I can’t identify any part of the book that needs a glaring re-write. Some of the sincere moments need tightening, perhaps, or maybe stronger actor as Bucky Jr., and one or two jokes landed flat, but that’s a great percentage for the show that hasn’t even opened yet. One could quibble about "Mountaineers" not being common among the cornfields, but I can't immediately suggest a better title. The closest analogy I can think of to the tone is A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. Gordy, the big city boyfriend, could be Monty’s American cousin. There’s obviously a lot less murder here (although there is judicious use of a shotgun) but it has a smilar pacing and sense of melodrama. The book does a good job of creating warmth and community among the players. I found it relatable and mostly believable.

I also thought the score worked really well. It was written by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, both of whom have a track record of songs that tell stories and contain subversive humor. Those traits came out through these songs as well. It's country-pop for the most part, with some bluegrass. So you know where I’m coming from, I usually prefer straight plays over musicals. I’ve seen too many musicals that shoehorn in musical numbers just for the sake of having a character sing, and it takes me out of the story. I didn’t feel that here. The songs do an excellent job of moving the story forward. I still have the melodies of several numbers stuck in my head. Oh, and there's some rap. Seriously--it was sort of brilliant.

Rose Hemingway as Misty Mae, Justin Guarini as Gordy the con man, Ryah Nixon as Lulu the worldly wise best friend, and Kevin Cahoon as the county clerk-cum-country philosopher were all great. The rest of the cast was fine, although I thought the male ensemble flubbed a few line readings here and there. My favorite number was Gordy’s signature song, which had a couple of surprise reprises with a great payoff.

The audience I was with was very receptive, and conversation I overheard was positive about how they worked Hee Haw’s legacy into the show. I looked at social media reception before I got tickets, and the overwhelming majority of what I saw was extremely positive, with a lot of people talking about seeing it again. Will NY audiences like it? If you’re looking for the next Oklahoma, probably not. But folksy Garrison Keillor has a pretty signficant NY fanbase, and other country-themed shows have done alright, so I think there’s an audience for the humor in this show, too.

The show is clearly coming to Broadway. The only question is, this season or next? When it does, IMO, it’s worth checking it out, even if you think you hate country and Hee Haw in particular. If anyone is interested in more details, I'll share what I can recall.

JPeterman, you're welcome. I hope you enjoy it. The press opening is Friday, and I'm curious if the local critic agrees with the local audience on this one.

RippedMan, Tampa is a joke. Misty Mae leaves her small town to pursue her big city dreams . . . in Tampa. She brings the boyfriend home, and among other things, there's a dance number where they test him to see if he can be country like them.

From the synopsis at http://www.attpac.org/on-sale/2015/moonshine/ (and what theatredrew said), she goes to Tampa and comes back.

Updated On: 9/13/15 at 09:23 PM

How long does it run in Dallas?

New York Times write-up on the songwriting pair and how the music evolved. The fact both
Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark are gay, as is the book writer, Robert Horn, is getting a lot of the press attention, presumably because what the author says here (it's no big deal on Broadway but not what you think of regarding Hee Haw or country/Nashville).

Thanks, Kylechristopherwest. That was the song list when I saw it a week before it opened, and I believe they had just added "Shucked." That number probably will generate the most controversy so it will be interesting if they keep it or come up with a new Act 1 closer by the time it gets to NYC.

I've seen the show 5 or 6 times now (as an usher) and it's really quite enjoyable. Every time it's tighter and tighter, and the audience response is enthusiastic. I think a lot of people come thinking they might not like it so much, and are surprised to find themselves cracking up over and over again. The book is terrific and the lyrics are often quite humorous as well. Leads are all excellent, and Junior, Jr., just about steals the show on a few occasions with his one-liners (or should I say, three-liners). I'm not sure how many of these folks will end up in the Broadway production (if it happens), but their comic timing is spot on. I finally got my husband to agree to come (he didn't want to see it) and he loved it.

Updated On: 10/8/15 at 12:26 AM

Worked my last one tonight and had a great view of the faces of the audience. As always, they laughed constantly, but what I really noticed this time was the smiles on their faces throughout the show. I wouldn't call it a typical feel-good musical (there are too many hilarious PG-13 moments for that), but I promise you, the audiences are feeling good at this show. We have had quite a few people come back to see it again, because they enjoyed it so much and also because they felt like they missed some good lines while they were busy laughing. Hope people in NY get a chance to see it! We have four more shows in Dallas this weekend if you fancy a spontaneous road trip Kyle's review is spot on.

Updated On: 10/10/15 at 01:03 AM