Let’s get real. I admit I was uncertain about going to the Broadway musical Shucked but after seeing the touring production, I realized I must have an affinity for corny jokes and lightning fast banter because I really enjoyed the show.
The rapid-fire musical, which plays Altria Theater through Nov. 3, warrants the question: If you take the television show Hee Haw (1969-1993), mesh it with the redneck comedy of Jeff Foxworthy and the often cringe-worthy jokes of the musical The Book of Mormon, what do you get? Why Shucked, of course.
Written by playwright Robert Horn — think Designing Women and the Broadway musical adaptation of Tootsie — the musical captures all the zaniness, peculiarity, silliness, and uncertainty of the world we live in. There are plenty of double entendres, sexual innuendos and flat out jokes that will definitely keep you on your toes.
Most of the jokes in the production are one-liners similar to sketch comedy shows like Hee Haw and Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. And, those one-liners are delivered with precise timing and a calculated pause that gives the audience the chance to let the joke sink in before the laughter breaks out.
“Shucked” Runs Through Nov 3 at Altria Theater
The plot of the show is simple at its heart — a town has a corn crises — it keeps dying — and Maizy decides to leave the comfort of the cozy corn-walled county and her betrothed, Beau, to head to the big city of Tampa for help. She meets a scoundrel, Gordy, and persuades him to come back to the cornfield to bring the corn to life again and save the town. His presence sparks a whirlwind of trouble for everyone. Until, it doesn’t.
The country-inspired music in the show is the product of Grammy Award winning songwriters Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, whose credits read like a who’s who of Nashville. Did I mention it’s great? One or two of the songs could be country hits themselves.
And, you can’t deliver those songs correctly if you don’t have a first-class group of singers and that’s exactly what Shucked has on stage. There is no one star of this production — it’s the entire cast.
Miki Abraham who plays Lulu is an absolute joy to watch on stage. She has the gutsy chutzpah that every woman dreams of having. Her voice soars and her jokes hit home like a blow to the gut. She’s wonderful.
“Shucked” is Down-Home Country
JMU alum Jake Odmark who plays Beau, commands your attention when he’s on stage. He’s captivating. His voice is delightful and his acting is mesmerizing. The way he delivers his lines is a master class in the importance of timing and mannerisms for creating a character that teeters between opposite qualities — likable, smug, dimwitted, smart, self-assured, vulnerable.
Danielle Wade, who plays Maizy, delivers a solid performance as does Quinn Vanantwerp who plays Gordy. Storyteller 1 and 2, Maya Lagerstam and Tyler Joseph Ellis, are a hoot throughout the production as is Mike Nappi who plays Peanut, the master of one-liners.
Shucked is a show for people who love rapid-fire dialogue, corny dad-like jokes, innuendos, tongue-in-cheek jokes, fantastic singing, on-point acting and who have an open mind that can embrace who we are as a whole and what really matters in life. If you do, you will love the show. It’s crazy and it’s fun, just like the great Reba McEntire says.
Shucked runs through Sunday, November 3, at Altria Theater. For showtimes and tickets, visit BroadwayinRichmond.com.
