Shucked
Review by Ernest Edwards/Ernest Goes To The Theatre
This show is laugh out loud funny.
The 2023 Tony Award winning musical comedy Shucked is in town on tour playing at the Orpheum Theatre. It’s part of the Hennepin Arts 2025/2026 Broadway on Hennepin season. This new musical has a book written by Robert Horn, music and lyrics are by Brandy Clark & Shane McNally. The musical is choreographed by Sarah O’Gleby and directed by Jack O’Brien.
This musical is about corn. Yes that corn. It’s humorous and dare I say at times it’s corny. The story takes place in Cobb County USA. The residents have been growing corn for generations. No one leaves Cobb County no one comes to Cobb County either. The residents love their corn with butter, they use the corn to make whiskey and moonshine. Corn is in every meal. Corn is in everything they do. Is a musical about corn any good? Yes, it’s one of the funniest musicals out there. There are so many great jokes. Come on in and get yourself some corn.
The show begins with the wedding of Maizy and Beau. During the wedding ceremony the corn crop starts to wither. No one wants to leave to look for help, and they also don’t want help from the outside. Maizy says we need to do something. She goes from Cobb County USA to Tampa Florida, and finds a “corn” doctor named Gordy to bring back to Cobb County. Gordy is a foot doctor. He specials in corns. Maizy bring this “corn” doctor back to Cobb County. Gordon is there for reasons of his own. He’s interested in the rocks in the county, thinks they are valuable and will get him out of debt with the mob. Beau doesn’t trust him, and neither does Lulu who is Maizy’s cousin.
Relationships get out of whack. In the end the corn crops are saved, and Gordy marrie’s Lulu and Beau and Maizy finally tie the not. Some of the best characters and humor comes from Storyteller 1, Storyteller 2, and Beau’s brother Peanut.
At the end of the musical, we learn that the Storyteller 1 is the granddaughter of Gordon and Lulu and that Storyteller 2 is the grandson of Maizy and Beau.
Let’s talk about the cast. While reviewing the program, I recognized Mimi Abraham as Lulu from the Broadway run of Shucked in 2023. Maya Lagerstam, who plays Storyteller 1 has ties to the Twin Cities. She was part of the UofM/Guthrie BFA acting program. Maya Lagerstam and Joe Moeller were so great as the narrators of the story. A lot of the humor came from them. Gordy is played by Quinn VanAntwerp. Beau is played by Nick Bailey. When Beau sings the song “Somebody Will” that was a strong vocal performance by Nick Bialey. I don’t remember that song being that powerful when I had seen the show on Broadway. Mike Nappi is excellent as Peanut. Peanut is pure comedy gold. Let’s not forget Danielle Wade as Maizy. She is the center and heart of the story. The rest of the ensemble is fun too.
According to the program, Hennepin Arts should be announcing the 2026/2027 Broadway on Hennepin series in February. I’m looking forward to that.
Shuck is in town through Sunday January 11, 2026. Check out www.hennepinarts.org for tickets.
