Review: SHUCKED at Broadway San Diego

If SHUCKED were a snack, it’d be kettle corn: a little bit sweet, a little bit salty, and a delightful treat to enjoy. Playing at Broadway San Diego through August 17th, this quick-witted, high-energy musical delivers laugh after laugh while sneaking in some genuine heart.

The show is framed by our two lively narrators, Storyteller 1 (Maya Lagerstam) and Storyteller 2 (Tyler Joseph Ellis), who are eager to break the fourth wall and invite the audience into this story.

They lead us through the tale of Maizy (Danielle Wade) and her fiancé, Beau (Kyle Sherman, at my performance), whose wedding is put on hold by a mysterious corn crisis. Determined to save her hometown, Maizy ventures outside its borders—a radical move in this insular community—and meets Gordy (Quinn VanAntwerp), a charming con man dodging trouble of his own.

When Maizy brings Gordy back, the locals greet him with deep suspicion, especially Maizy’s whiskey-making cousin Lulu (Cecily Dionne Davis, at my performance), whose sharp wit is matched only by powerhouse vocals. Beau’s brother Peanut (Mike Nappi) is another Cobb County character, tossing out ridiculous one-liners and non sequiturs with a hit rate most stand-ups would envy. The rest of the ensemble fleshes out this quirky, tight-knit town with warmth and impeccable comic timing.

The script is loaded with rapid-fire jokes, but the humor always feels sunny. There’s a rhythm to the writing, a trust that the audience can keep up. If you miss one gag, another’s right behind it. In between all the laughs, the story makes room for sincerity about family, trust, and finding your voice.

Wade’s Maizy balances optimism with a growing backbone, her chemistry with Sherman’s good-natured Beau giving the romance just the right amount of sweetness. VanAntwerp’s Gordy is a smooth-talking,  lovable rascal who secretly yearns for family and community.  Davis, as Lulu, delivers one of the night’s most memorable performances, radiating confidence and comic bite.

Scott Pask’s scenic design centers the action in an airy barn, framed by a bright, painted backdrop that keeps the mood open and sunlit. Japhy Weideman’s lighting design adds warmth and sparkle, while Tilly Grimes’ costumes are a playful mix of small-town practicality and bright, eye-catching patterns.

Director Jack O’Brien keeps the pace zipping along without letting the humor feel rushed, and Sarah O’Gleby’s choreography is as clever as the dialogue, building visual jokes right into the movement. The result is a show that’s as tightly constructed as it is loose and easy to love.

SHUCKED is smart, silly, and full of charm. It’s the kind of musical where you leave grinning, maybe even humming a tune you didn’t realize had snuck into your head. 

How To Get Tickets

SHUCKED is playing at Broadway San Diego August 12 - 17, at the San Diego Civic Theatre.  For ticket and showtime information, go to www.broadwaysd.com 

 

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