Alex Newell, Caroline Innerbichler, Kevin Cahoon, and Andrew Durand
“Oh honey, family is telling someone to go to hell, then worrying they get there safely.”
Shucked has a book by Robert Horn (the Tony Award winning writer of Tootsie), whose one liners are irreverent, corny, sarcastic and hysterically funny. I found my guest and I myself constantly chuckling at the cheeky one-liners. This show is a completely wonderful surprise.
“I think when a movie says ‘based on a true story’, it happened, but with uglier people.”
Shucked also has award winning performances, starting with some of the minor roles. Kevin Cahoon almost steals the show with his dead pan portrayal of Beau’s (Andrew Durand), wise-cracking brother Peanut, who has some of the best lines of the whole show. His delivery is priceless.
Alex Newell by Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.
Alex Newell as Lulu, as the lead’s cousin, burns up the barn with Independently Owned an award winning number.
The cast of Shucked Photos by Mathew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman
Another stand out is Caroline Innerbichler, as Maizy in her Broadway debut. I expect this adorable addition to win a Theatre World Award for her standout performance.
“Oh honey, if life were fair mosquitos would suck fat instead of blood.”
Ashley D. Kelley and Grey Hensen Photos by Mathew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman
Shucked is a “farm to fable” in which two narrators (the delightful Ashley D Kelley and ah sucks Grey Henson), tell the tale of Cob county. As longtime lovers Maizy and Beau are about to get married the town surrounded by corn wilts. In a strange way think Brigadoon or for that matter Schmigadoon. As the wedding is interrupted, Maizy steps out of the failure and everything she has know and makes it to Tampa to save her hometown. Naive as they get Maizy meets a conman, womanizer, podiatrist Gordy (John Behlmann) whose sign reads “Corn Doctor.”Maizy brings him to fix the corn and all kernels breaks lose
Remember when we were little kids and we would make sand castles with grandma, ‘til Grandpa started hiding the urn.
The cast of Photos by Mathew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman
Jack O’Brien, direction is tight and Sarah O’Gelby’s choreography is fun. Costume’s by Tilly Grimes and scenic design by Scott Pask keep us in Cob County’s world.
“I think the first person to ever see a sunset probably thought, ‘well THIS isn’t good.”
The music & lyrics by Nashville veterans Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, is solid as a rick, baby and very show tune. Standouts are “Maybe Love” and the high power Independently Owned that stops the show.
“I just passed a huge squirrel, which is odd, because I don’t remember eating one.”
I expect Shucked to earn several nominations, especially one for Robert Horn, who shows theatre can say so much with humor and that is its power.
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