Yes, it’s a musical about corn.
Obviously, it’s not just about corn; “Shucked” is a modern show with a lot of old-fashioned sensibilities, from its farcical rom-com plot to its folksy score. And it’s also perfect for popping a few kernels, turning off your brain and having a soul-nourishing night at the theater.
The piping-hot North American tour will be at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh through April 19, part of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh series.
Premiering on Broadway in 2023, “Shucked” harvested nine Tony Award nominations, winning one for featured actor Alex Newell. It boasts music by bona fide country singer-songwriters Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally and a book chock-full of one-liners penned by Robert Horn.
If “Shucked” were a regular old romance novel, it would be pretty run-of-the-mill, with a straightforward plot and light character development. We’re introduced to the inhabitants of isolated Cob County (yes, we saw what they did there), including childhood sweethearts Maizy (Danielle Wade) and Beau (Nick Bailey). On the couple’s wedding day, the corn that adorns the set suddenly starts to inexplicably die — and as corn is the staple of Cob County, that poses a huge problem.
So Maizy decides that she has to venture out of the town to find someone who will help, against her beau Beau’s wishes. She travels to Tampa, where she meets inept con man Gordy (Quinn Vanantwerp), who sees a golden opportunity in Maizy’s plight.
The pair returns to a skeptical town, where Maizy’s cousin Lulu (Miki Abraham) and Beau are unhappy about the interloper, especially when Maizy reveals that she and Gordy kissed. By the end of Act One, Beau has broken off the engagement and Gordy has convinced Maizy that he’s in love with her so that he can stick around to carry out his half-baked get-rich-quick scheme. How do the characters get themselves out of that corn maze of a plot? I won’t spoil the second act.
The whole show is narrated by snarky Storyteller 1 (Dominique Kent) and Storyteller 2 (Ryan Fitzgerald), actors whose interplay with one another makes the dialogue shine from the opening scene. Wade is cute as a button, but also has a fiery streak that gives Maizy a little more depth. She and Bailey have a comfortable chemistry that grows throughout the show.
Bailey also fits the mold of Beau well, with great comedic timing and a softness that works especially well in his pop-country solo songs. Vocally, he is one of the cast’s stars, with Abraham as Lulu right alongside him. But she gets the good fortune of singing the standout tune of the show, “Independently Owned,” a brassy ode to single womanhood.
As scores go, “Shucked” isn’t the most memorable of the last few years. A lot of the time, the songs feel like an interruption to the conversations between characters and not an opportunity to heighten them. But music director Nick Williams balanced the poignant and silly songs well. Director Jack O’Brien knows comedy well; the timing and delivery of the whole ensemble’s jokes were impeccable on Tuesday’s opening night. From number to number, the dancing and movement cut an easy path between natural and showy, thanks to choreographer Sarah O’Gleby.
Rarely does the action stray from the corn-filled set of Cob County, but the set design is still unobtrusively detailed, and set designer Scott Pask clearly has some fun tricks up his sleeve. Costume designer Tilly Grimes keeps things quirky-country, fitting into the theme of not being too eye-catching but still notable. Japhy Weideman’s lighting design also goes a long way in setting the tone, especially in a clever time-jump montage during the second act that had Tuesday night’s audience howling with laughter.
Much like the grain around which it revolves, “Shucked” can be sweet, can be complemented well by a little spice, and can even be bland now and then. The barrage of one-liner jokes would be better sprinkled with more character development. But I couldn’t help having my heart warmed by this show, and I guarantee you’ll walk out with a few new corny jokes to try out at the next family barbecue.
“Shucked” runs through April 19 at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh, part of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh series. To get tickets, visit trustarts.org.
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the correct names of cast members playing Storyteller 1 and Storyteller 2 at the opening night performance on April 14.