A real-life emu jailbreak near Kalamazoo is getting the musical treatment at Canton's Village Theater at Cherry Hill.
"Emus on the Loose: An Emu-sical!" will have its world premiere Aug. 28–30, according to Canton Township. The one-hour family show for ages 6 and up features $10 tickets and follows four emus who bust out of their Kalamazoo farm and tour Michigan landmarks while dodging the local sheriff.
The show is based on actual events. On Nov. 30, 2022, a windstorm blew open the gate at Llama Woods Farm in Oshtemo Township while owners Christee and Randy Dyk were at work. A crashing tree branch spooked the birds into escaping, and a Kalamazoo County sheriff's deputy soon spotted one of the giant emus strolling down the road. The Dyk family helped round up all six. Body-camera footage of the capture went viral worldwide.
Steve Boughton and his wife, Beth, turned the incident into a children's book, illustrated by Marissa Tawney-Thaler. The stage adaptation expands the emus' adventure beyond Kalamazoo to Lansing, Detroit, Mackinac Island and Muskegon.
Ben Frick, Canton Township's performing arts coordinator, co-wrote the book and lyrics with Boughton and composed the music. Frick said the team wanted to stay faithful to the original themes while broadening the story's scope.
"The audience will learn about some of Michigan's history, and some of the fun experiences they can have throughout the state," he said. "They also learn some fun facts about emus as well as the importance of working together."
The show is also listed on the Pure Michigan tourism site, giving the Canton premiere statewide visibility.
After each performance, families can meet author Steve Boughton and the emu characters. The Aug. 29 shows add arts-and-crafts activities led by illustrator Tawney-Thaler, plus snacks.
Performance schedule:
- Aug. 28 at 7 p.m.
- Aug. 29 at noon and 3 p.m.
- Aug. 30 at 3 p.m.
Tickets are $10, available at cantonvillagetheater.org, by phone at 734-394-5300, or at the box office one hour before showtime. The Village Theater is at 50400 Cherry Hill Road, Canton.
