‘Shucked’ @ The Music Hall at Fair Park (Broadway Dallas)

Photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman for Original B’Way Production

—Carol M. Rice

During intermission for the touring production of Shucked, the gentleman next to me asked what brought me to the show. He knew nothing about it, but he and his wife are season ticket holders so they came. My friend and I told him we knew nothing about it either, other than it had gotten great reviews on Broadway. Others around us chimed in with pretty much the same story—and we all agreed we were having a great time!

Shucked, in short…is a lot of fun.

The new musical hit New York in 2023 and was nominated for nine Tony awards, including Best Musical. It’s a simple story about...CORN. And this isn’t just the topic of the show, it’s the style, meaning that it’s one of the corniest things I’ve ever seen. Filled with outrageous puns, clever sexual innuendo, and more than a few Dad jokes, Shucked is a masterpiece of silly humor, with a book by Robert Horn and music and lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally.

The play begins with two Storytellers, played with enormous energy by Tyler Joseph Ellis and Maya Lagerstam, as they tell the story of Cob County. These two skillfully guide the action throughout, as well as taking on the occasional roles (mobsters, jewelry appraisers, etc.). Their chemistry and comic timing are excellent.

The Storytellers introduce us to Beau and Maizy, who are literally in the middle of their wedding when the corn crop starts to die. The wedding is postponed while the town tries to figure out the problem. Maizy is the heroine of our story, played with girl-next-door sincerity by Danielle Wade. Maizy decides to leave Cob County to go and get help, much to Beau’s chagrin. Jake Odmark plays Beau as a regular small-town guy. He, like everyone else around, doesn’t think Maizy’s smart enough to solve the corn problem, but she sets out anyway, ending up in the big city of Tampa.

Here she meets Gordy, played with slimy charm by Quinn VanAntwerp. Gordy is a bit of a con man. (Posing as a podiatrist, his sign reads “The Corn Doctor.”) Seizing the opportunity, Gordy manages to convince Maizy he can help the town cure the corn.

But Gordy has a hidden agenda: he’s really after the precious stones in a bracelet Maizy got from her plucky Grandpa, played by Erick Pinnick. Maizy falls for Gordy’s corny romancing, breaks things off with Beau—and when the town finds out Maizy and Gordy are engaged, they come together to break them up…maybe with the intervention of Maizy’s smoldering cousin Lulu (Miki Abraham), who’s got an eye for Gordy herself. It leads up to one of the most memorable numbers in the show, “Best Man Wins.”

Will Maizy realize her mistake? Will Gordy come clean about his scheme? And just how many weddings will we see at the end of the show? It all comes out about the way we expect, but with plenty of laughs and a few bushels of bad jokes (real groaners) from Beau’s brother Peanut (Mike Nappi), whose comic timing is brilliant. And wouldn’t you know, he has a sideline as a wedding officiant—handy, right?

Direction is by Broadway legend Jack O’Brien; Sarah O’Gleby’s choreography is clever and unique; and Nick Williams does a great job as music director.The songs include everything from sweet ballads to energetic, upbeat songs with tight harmonies, and all are beautifully sung and danced by this talented touring cast. The diverse ensemble serves to strengthen the vocals and fill the stage with movement.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the incredible set designed by Scott Pask and beautifully enhanced by Japhy Weideman’s lighting. The set is essentially a holey barn that’s all askew, which may sound odd, but it serves the show well in its simplicity and practicality.

Shucked is one of the most original shows I’ve seen in a long time. There’s nothing earth-shattering about it, and it’s not going to change the way you think about the world. But you will laugh heartily and tap your toes to the music—while hearing more corn jokes than you ever thought possible in two hours.

If you enjoy being pleasantly surprised and entertained by shows you know nothing about, Broadway Dallas’s Shucked is the musical for you!

WHEN: December 3-15, 2024
WHERE: The Music Hall at Fair Park, Dallas
WEB: broadwaydallas.org