Review: SHUCKED at Bass Concert Hall

Y’all, SHUCKED is in town and it’s just as corny as you might imagine. It’s full to the brim with dad jokes, groan worthy puns, a-maize-ing talent, and a sweet little universal plot. It’s a strange but pleasant marriage between Broadway and corn-try music. An unapologetically silly display of rural Americana, SHUCKED is a timely fresh breath of fun.

If you're old enough and you remember being forced to watch Hee Haw at your grandpa’s knee, it’s understandable you might be reminded of the TV show that ran for 25 seasons from 1969-1997. Producer Robert Horn and SHUCKED singer songwriters Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally previously worked together on a musical built around Hee Haw. SHUCKED holds a kernel of that effort.

SHUCKED centers around small town Cob County, where corn is the foundation of life, both economically and culturally. When the town’s crops suddenly begin to fail, threatening the entire community's livelihood, the residents are desperate for a solution. Maizy (Danielle Wade) one of the town’s young women, decides to venture outside of Cob County to find someone who can save their precious corn.

Maizy’s quest leads her to bring in a supposed expert named Gordy (Quinn Vanentwerp) who claims he can help, but has ulterior motives. Gordy’s arrival and interactions with the townspeople unravel into a series of misunderstandings, cultural clashes, and self-discoveries. Meanwhile, other cornivores, including Maizy’s fiancé, Beau (Jake Odmark) and her family, add to the chaotic but heartfelt atmosphere and deeply ingrained love of corn.

Often, when I watch a show as flawlessly done as this one, I think of the future. A future where theatres all over the country will be mounting productions of SHUCKED. They’ll be casting roles with folks who may not get, in the way this cast and Tony© Award winning director Jack O’Brien do, the paradoxical elegance of executing a broad comedy without crossing into parody. In addition to all the musical talent this cast brings, they all also understand and deliver on what it means to be a comedic actor. In the tradition of The Carol Burnett Show’s ensemble, this cast gives a full on commitment to characters who have the perfectly nuanced awareness that they’re being watched. If you grew up watching Carol Burnett’s show the first time or in reruns, you know I’m offering high praise here.

This isn’t a complicated show. It’s fun to hear a country tune belted by this great talent, even if the ballads can sometimes be repetitive. Choreographer Sarah O’Gleby keeps the choreography as fun and uncomplicated as the characters, but every move is executed to perfection. Aside from a wobbly spotlight in the first act, so is Japhy Weideman’s lighting design. And I love Scott Pask’s scenic design.

This is a truly ensemble cast, so it’s difficult to call any one talent out. That said, I can’t overstate how Miki Abraham’s Lulu is a galvanizing force. Her performance of “Independently Owned,” is the quintessential, showstopper number. Mike Nappi as Peanut doesn’t get his own number, but his Peanut is quite a showstopper, metaphorically, and, well, almost literally. I think… well, I won’t say anything more. Tyler Joseph Ellis as Storyteller 2 and Maya Lagerstam as Storyteller 1 are quick and charming. Danielle Wade and Jake Odmark are loads of dynamic fun. Quinn Vanentwerp gives us a loveable and trite bad guy in Gordy. And the rest of this ensemble energetically back the cast up with ease and energetic joy.

Unlike corn, you won’t be the same coming out as the way you came in. You'll have digested a good deal of fun. Especially if you shuck your cynicism, and surrender to  SHUCKED for exactly what it is: A show out standing in its field.

SHUCKED

Directed by Jack O’Brien

Music and Lyrics by
Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally

Book by
Robert Horn

Choreography by
Sarah O'Gleby

Nov 12 - 17, 2024

Bass Concert Hall
2350 Robert Dedman Dr, Austin, TX 78712

2hrs, 15 mins with 1 intermission.

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