Clockwise from top right: Songwriters Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark, bookwriter Robert Horn and director Gary Griffin – of Moonshine. Photo: Sergio Garcia

The Dallas Theater Center got a little of that New York attention the company craves this morning when the New York Times sent pop writer Jon Caramanica down to profile Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, the country songwriting duo who are the composers/lyricists for Moonshine, the adaptation of the old country-yokel TV comedy Hee Haw. The show officially open this Friday at the Wyly Theatre but has been in previews for two weeks — an extended period for a Theater Center production.

Caramanica basically argues that because Clark and McAnally are ‘unconventional’ songwriters for Nashville but still can churn out hit after hit for themselves and other musicians such as Miranda Lambert, they may have a shot at creating one of the few country musicals to make it to Broadway. For a look at Hee Haw, what it was and how Moonshine hopes to draw on it but also seriously update it, read our feature story.