Documenatry maps ‘Duck Dynasty’ musical, but don’t expect the real drama

When does a little-seen, quick flop of a Las Vegas show merit a basic cable “making of” documentary?

When it’s a little-seen, quick flop of a Las Vegas show based on the reality-TV hit “Duck Dynasty.” Content is content, folks.

“Duck Commander: Making the Musical” is an hour special airing at 9 p.m. Wednesday on A&E. It chronicles the making of the Roberston family biography with original songs that opened at the Rio on April 8 and closed May 17.

There was, however, a compelling behind-the-scenes drama surrounding the musical. But director Jeff Calhoun says that not much of that appears to have made the final cut.

Calhoun and other gay members of the creative team almost quit when family patriarch Phil Robertson’s inflammatory comments about homosexuality were published in a GQ interview just days after the show’s first table reading. Phil Robertson had not been involved in the stage project. His son Willie Robertson, who runs the family’s duck call business, had been working with the stage show’s producers, and flew to New York to address the comments with Calhoun and his husband.

Based on the footage shared with him, “A&E left most of the substantive discussions with Willie about the controversy on the cutting room floor,” Calhoun says. “I was disappointed because both Willie and myself spoke from the heart and tackled certain issues head on. Apparently it had more gravitas than the network wanted or could handle.”

Perhaps the documentary will reveal the next step for the musical. After all, it was an expensive investment by current Las Vegas standards. It was produced by Dodger Theatricals, the New York folk behind “Jersey Boys” and “Matilda,” and helmed by “Newsies” director Jeff Calhoun.

The musical’s Facebook page suggested the next step might be a tour. The musical biography of the “Faith, Food and Family” duck-call empire of Willie and Korie Robertson also would seem a good fit for the Ozark vacation mecca of Branson, Mo., or perhaps casinos closer to the Robertsons’ home base in Louisiana or the “Redneck Riviera” of Biloxi, Miss.

Read more from Mike Weatherford at bestoflasvegas.com. Contact him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com.