Photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
‘Shucked.’ Book by Robert Horn. Music and Lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. Directed by Jack O’Brien; Choreographed by Sarah O’Gleby; Music Supervision by Jason Howland. Presented by Broadway in Boston at Citizens Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston through April 20.
By Shelley A. Sackett
If ever we were collectively in need of some levity, it’s now. Between the political roller coaster, serious Boston theater topics and frigid spring temperatures, we could all use a light, fun break. As if reading the tea leaves, Broadway in Boston has come to our rescue with its lighthearted, raucous production, Shucked.
A Tony Award-winning musical comedy, the play is based on a book by Tony Award winner Robert Horn (“Tootsie”), with a score by the Grammy Award-winning Nashville songwriting team of Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally (Kacey Musgraves’ “Follow Your Arrow”), and direction by Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien (“Hairspray”). A talent-packed cast (including two original Broadway members) is icing on the cake.
Mention must be made about the clear-as-a-bell sound system and actors’ enunciation. I cannot remember the last time I wasn’t straining to hear and/or understand what was being said on stage, and attending Shucked reminded me of what is possible and what I’ve been missing.
The plot is simple and functions primarily as a vehicle for the creative team to flex their considerable muscle and concoct two and a half hours (one intermission) of lowbrow entertainment consisting of nonstop corny but hilarious one-liners and playlist-worthy songs.
The setting is fictional Cob County, a southern enclave isolated from the outside world and inhabited by cheerful inbred families who have been each other’s best friends and drinking buddies for generations. The town is cut off from the rest of the world by rows of corn stalks, which provide identity, livelihood, and moonshine. One day, the corn goes flaccid, and the town melts down along with it.
The crisis hits the central romantic couple, Beau (Jake Odmark) and Maizy (Danielle Wade), hardest. Their wedding is postponed, and Maizy, braver than Beau, ventures to the megapolis of Tampa to seek help.
There, she meets Gordy (Quinn VanAntwep), a podiatrist who advertises as a “corn doctor.” Gordy is a handsome grifter who is in hock up to his eyeballs with the mob. He smells a sucker ripe for the picking when Maizy shows him a bracelet her grandfather made from rocks beneath her house that resemble precious gems. Gordy has them assessed, determines they are his key to freedom, and follows Maizy home.
He convinces all the locals he is the answer to their troubles; all, that is, except Beau, whose lifelong romance with Maizy is interrupted by Gordy’s hold over her, and Lulu (the amazing Miki Abraham), Maizy’s cousin and local booze distiller, who smells a rat. Nonetheless, Lulu ends up falling for Gordy, Maizy re-falls for Beau, and still the corn stalks droop.
Eventually, romantic snags untangle, the corn is saved, and all’s well in Cob County once again. As I said, you don’t go to Shucked for the storyline.
What you DO go for, however, are outstanding performances, quirky secondary characters, and an uninterrupted barrage of the corniest, belly-laugh-out-loud one-liners and terrific song and dance numbers. Remember the guiltless pleasures of “Laugh In,” “Hee Haw,” “Green Acres,” “Gomer Pyle” and “The Andy Griffith Show,” and you get the picture.
Horn does come up with some clever dramatic maneuvers, and his most effective is the use of narrators, Storyteller #1 (Maya Lagerstam) and Storyteller #2 (Tyler Joseph Ellis), who guide us through the “farm to fable” tale. They provide the play’s only surprise in a sweet and unexpected twist at the very end.
The real stars of the show, however, (across the board magnificent performances notwithstanding) are the groan-worthy but ingeniously smart jokes. Horn’s puns are raunchy, dopey, and Borsht-belt worthy. The opening number, “Corn,” praises its subject with the description, “It’s the same going in as coming out.” Peanut (Mike Nappi), Beau’s half-wit brother who compulsively fires off random one-liners, channels a dumbed-down stand-up comedian.
Examples of the rapid fire barrage are: “Remember when we used to make sandcastles with Grandma until Dad took the urn away?” “Politicians and diapers should be changed regularly for the same reason.” “If life were fair, mosquitos would suck fat instead of blood.” And, “It’s like not realizing how many people you hate until you try to name a baby.” Hackneyed? Maybe. Funny? Definitely.
In addition to the uplifting script are the fabulous song and dance numbers. Abraham (Lulu), Wade (Maizy), Lagerstam (Storyteller #1), Odmark (Beau), and VanAntwerp (Gordy) have amazing sets of pipes, and the harmonies (especially in the duets) are swoon-worthy. Abraham’s “Independently Owned” brought down the house while “I Do” is worthy of release as a single.
At this time of heavy headlines and trauma-laden theater, it’s a treat and welcome reset to indulge in an angst-free Vaudevillian spoof. We all deserve a night of tasty, tantalizing empty calories.
For more information, go to https://www.citizensoperahouse.com/
