Review: SHUCKED at Broadway In Tucson

SHUCKED is a new musical that on the surface appears to be about corn. But there is so much more to the story. Broadway in Tucson brings SHUCKED to the table this August, and it is one of the best times I have ever had at the theatre. SHUCKED is so funny and entertaining that my wife and I will be returning to see it again this weekend. The premise is simple: the corn in a small town called Cobb County is going bad. Maizy (whose name appears to be a punny reference to corn) goes to Tampa to find a "corn doctor", who is not what he seems.

If you like puns, especially corn-related ones, you will find them in SHUCKED! This is a laugh-a-minute (perhaps every 30 seconds!) comedic extravaganza that will leave you hungry for more. I went in completely cold, knowing nothing about the play except that it is corn-centric. But SHUCKED is also a fable and a sweetly optimistic look at shifting cultural norms. Just like shucking corn, watching SHUCKED will unwrap layers of emotional depth as the play progresses. Directed by Jack O'Brien, SHUCKED is deliciously salty popcorn entertainment. The name of the game is fun. O'Brien's staging guarantees that audiences will leave smiling and not be bored for one second. Even someone like myself who enjoys darker material is likely to enjoy the cheesy jokes, and that's impressive.

What makes SHUCKED work is the strength of its cast. They understand the material is ridiculous, and they commit fully to it. This allows the audience to be comfortable with this world and the cartoony and corny magic that unravels during the show's two-hour runtime (it feels shorter, and in a good way). Maizy, played impeccably and charmingly by Danielle Wade, is a heroine the audience can identify with. Wade is a charismatic presence with a polished voice to match. The country music palette, deftly led by Nick Williams, is absolutely delightful and very original. Music and lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally are relentlessly catchy in the best possible way.

Miki Abraham positively steals the shows as Lulu with their performance of "Independently Owned." They have pipes and the audience responded approvingly. There are a fair amount of soloes in SHUCKED, but unlike old corn they never get stale. Maya Lagerstam (Storyteller 1) and Tyler Joseph Ellis (Storyteller 2) keep the plot moving, with very tongue-in-cheek delivery of witty kernel-popping dialogue written by Robert Horn. There's an unwritten rule in theatre that if the actors have fun the audience will have fun. SHUCKED is the textbook definition of this concept in action.

Jake Odmark as Beau and Quinn VanAntwerp as Gordy deliver with finely polished vocal prowess. Their tenor voices are mesmerizing. Mike Nappi as Peanut supplies the bulk of the corny jokes, and the majority of them land. Again, the commitment to the bit is what makes SHUCKED work, and a game cast easily got the job done here. Choreography is bright and breezy and the musical numbers are fast-paced. Sarah O'Gleby's choreography is delightful. My favorite number was "Best Man Wins" in Act II.