The original libretto by Anthony Dodge and Marcia Milgrom Dodge is a tale that feels like a cross between Kiss Me, Kate and The Grand Ole Opry, according to Lyric Stage.

"On the eve of country music legend Jimmy John Angel's reunion concert with his ex-wife and even bigger star, Dixie Diamond, Jimmy John's life of unscrupulous trickery — on stage and off — is exposed," according to the Lyric Stage announcement.

Theatre World Award winner Julie Johnson (Das Barbecu) will play Dixie Diamond. Jimmy John has not been cast. Milgrom Dodge will direct and choreograph.

The score offers more than a dozen Gatlin hits — plus four more written exclusively for the show. He's credited with music and lyrics. The singer-songwriter-actor is known for his work with the Gatlin Brothers, and on Broadway in The Will Rogers Follies.

The troupe snagged a grant from The National Endowment for the Arts, enabling them to stage Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel with a 40-piece orchestra (Sept. 7-16 in Carpenter Performance Hall). Also on the season are They're Playing Our Song Feb. 15-March 1, 2008; the Dallas Divas! concert (March 7-8, 2008, at Carpenter Performance Hall) and Hello, Dolly! featuring Julie Johnson as Dolly Levi and producer Steven Jones as Cornelius Hackl (April 26-May 10, 2008).

Located in Irving, TX, Lyric Stage is "dedicated to the development and preservation of the American musical." For more information, visit www.lyricstage.org.