‘Shucked’ Is A Show You Have to See to Believe…And Understand
When I interviewed Maya Lagerstam and Tyler Joseph Ellis ahead of the San Diego premiere of Shucked, I left the interview having no idea what to expect apart from two hours of laughing about…corn? Even after seeing a performance from the sneak peek of the season and watching a trailer with a voiceover from Reba McEntire, I knew this would be a show I’d actually have to see to understand.
Ellis echoed that sentiment during our interview, refraining from giving me too many details because he didn’t want to ruin anything for me or the readers. While I agree with that, for the most part, I still have a lot to say about the show, which was surprisingly entertaining—and vocally challenging—for a musical all about corn.
While some of the jokes were corny (and yes, that actual joke made it in there), some of them were also hilarious and quite thought-provoking.
If you’re on the fence about seeing Shucked on its national tour run, don’t cheat yourself of the opportunity. If you want to know more about what to expect from the show (without having it ruined), keep reading.
Maya Lagerstam as Storyteller 1 and Tyler Joseph Ellis as Storyteller 2 in The North American Tour of SHUCKED (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
Okay, so what the hell is ‘Shucked’ about?
If you are anything like me before the show—and if you haven’t seen it, I’d wager you are—, the main question you might have is, “What the hell is this show even about?”
When the answer comes back as “Corn,” that doesn’t necessarily help.
The story starts with Storytellers 1 and 2, played by Lagerstam and Ellis. They introduce you to the town where everything revolves around corn. It’s the town’s primary source of income; they celebrate it in all forms, and without it, they would be nothing.
Things take a turn when the crops start dying. Enter Maizy, played by Danielle Wade, who decides to venture out into the world to seek help. Her fiancée, Beau, played by understudy Kyle Sherman, doesn’t want her to go, though this is mainly due to his pride, since the corn is his crop.
Throughout the journey, the Storytellers pop in and out to break the fourth wall and “talk to” the audience to guide them through the inner workings of what the characters think as the plot unfolds. Most of the problems arise when Maizy comes home with a man named Gordy (Quinn VanAntwerp), whom the rest of the town largely doesn’t trust. Among them is Maizy’s cousin Lulu (u/s Cecily Dionne Davis), a local whiskey maker who means business at all times and has no problem standing on her own two feet.
The rest… you just have to see for yourself to believe and understand.
The Cast of The North American Tour of SHUCKED (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
The jokes inside ‘Shucked’
Everybody has jokes in the show. Some are pretty silly and, honestly, a little stupid. Others actually have depth to them that makes you think. Some sneak up on you and come out of nowhere, while others have a perfect setup to make way for the punchline.
Storyteller 2 has some good one-liners, such as “Head over heels just means you’re standing,” and “As the personal trainer said to their lazy client, this just isn’t working out.” As a personal trainer and fitness instructor myself, that second one really hit home.
For me, I would say Peanut (Mike Nappi) had arguably the best jokes throughout. His character was written and presented as someone who wasn’t exactly the brightest crayon in the box, yet somehow provided the most wisdom. Frequently throughout the show, he would step aside and go on some “I think” tangents, most of which were both funny and insightful. Among the best was, “I think if you have time to jump in front of a bullet for someone, they have time to move.” Any time Peanut came on stage, you’d know you were about to laugh and think at the same time.
Lulu also brought a lot to the table, especially with her line, “Family is telling someone to go to hell and then hoping they make it there safely.” Character-wise, I would say Lulu would be one I’d want to hang out with on the town, especially if her whiskey is good (which you can actually try for yourself.)
Quinn VanAntwerp as Gordy and Miki Abraham as Lulu in The North American Tour of SHUCKED (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
Let’s talk about the performances, shall we?
As with Moulin Rouge, I was pleasantly surprised by the performances of the people I had the fortune of interviewing prior to the show. We’d actually seen Wade perform “Walls” during the season preview, and she did a great job as the lead throughout the rest of the show. We’d had a chance to see her sing, but not act, and she had impeccable comedic timing.
VanAntwerp also did a great job as Gordy, which comes as no surprise, since he was in the original ensemble of Shucked on Broadway and was the understudy for Gordy and Peanut. I’m glad they gave him a chance to step into the role, because he commanded the stage when he was on it and did a great job playing “the villain.”
He’s also proof that understudies are equally talented, which we saw twice over with Davis as Lulu and Sherman as Beau. Don’t tell my boyfriend, but I teared up when Sherman sang “Somebody Will.” I can’t say anything about the current actor who usually does the role, Jake Odmark, but I can say that Sherman will land a leading role at some point during his career, whether he ultimately takes over Beau down the road or finds something else.
The same goes for Davis. I’m confident Miki Abraham does a great job when they take on the role, but I couldn’t have seen anyone else as Lulu, and I’m glad she had the opportunity to shine.
Jake Odmark as Beau and Mike Nappi as Peanut in The North American Tour of SHUCKED (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
What’s the music like?
Upon looking at the Playbill, the song titles give nothing away about the plot, but it does start with a song called “Corn” to remind you what all of this was going to be about.
Standout songs apart from “Corn,” “Walls,” and “Somebody Will,” include “Independently Owned,” “OK,” and “Best Man Wins.”
I’ll admit, with how much energy the show opened with in “Corn,” I expected a little more oomph to close it out in “Corn Mix” and the “Maybe Love” reprise. It ended on a softer note that almost felt like a transition rather than a closing number.
Overall, the music in the first act was better, and the story moved faster at the start, as well. That said, the second act hardly scratched an hour, so the story itself never has too much time to drag. However, with some other snips here and there to some of the scenes (or songs), the whole show could have probably been done in one act with less than two hours on the runtime and no intermission.
The Cast of The North American Tour of SHUCKED (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
Final thoughts on ‘Shucked’
While I watched the show, I had some mixed emotions, but the more time I spend away from it, the more I think it was clever and well-done.
Another thing Ellis said during our interview that stuck out to me, especially now that I’ve seen the show, is its originality. It’s great to see shows like Wicked, Mrs. Doubtfire, Chicago, Hamilton, The Wiz, and many other familiar favorites. All of these shows have gained their audience and deserve them, but Shucked offers something fresh and new that you can’t see in other shows at the moment. That also applies to the film industry, where movies and TV shows seem to be regurgitated over and over from the same franchises.
Outside of the originality, Shucked also provides a lot of heart within the humor. Lagerstam told me that audiences across the country were caught off guard by how much they laughed, cried, and became attached to all the characters. Upon reflection, all of the above happened to me.
Also, I am a big whiskey fan, and was excited to see that Shucked has its own bourbon whiskey inspired by Lulu. While I have yet to try it, I’ll be sure to share my thoughts once I do.
Catch Shucked at the San Diego Civic Theater through August 17. Grab your tickets at San Diego Broadway. If you miss that show or live somewhere else, check out the full tour schedule to see Shucked in a city near you.
