Review: SHUCKED at The National Theater

After traveling from Salt Lake City and then to Broadway with a hefty handful of Tony nominations and one win, Shucked plants its roots at the National Theater for a brief six-day engagement. The National Theater was actually supposed to be the original home of the show, directed by Jack O'Brien and Associate directed by Derek Kolluri, but never got to grace that stage until now, due to COVID. 

The vegetal musical focuses on the world of Cob County, a rural utopia for a group of isolationist yokels who love and live all things corn. They are a bit "lost in time" due to their fear/disdain of the outside world, but are all together wholesome (even with the corn whiskey and expired methamphetamines). The show's hero is Maizy (Danielle Wade), a young woman who is the spirit of Cob County personified—she's strong, rustic, and great at growing corn. 

After the show's introduction by Storyteller 1 (Maya Lagerstam) and Storyteller 2 (on the 25th this role was played by Nick Raynor, who was incomparable, but more on that later), and the intro song, "Corn" (which is probably the best in the show) the audience and characters learn that the corn crop is failing, which, of course, is a massive deal when your entire economy and culture is based around the cereal grain. 

Maizy tells her fiancé, Beau (Jake Odmark) that someone ought to leave Cob County to search for help, and maybe it could be her. Beau disagrees and the two fight, basically breaking up due to Beau thinking Maizy is naive and incapable. Fueled by her desire to prove Beau wrong, see the world, and help her community, she makes the arduous journey to the only place on Earth where people are cultured and intelligent enough to help—Tampa. 

The introduction to the city is very funny, and the show pokes fun at the Floridian town—"It's a bleach and platinum blonde extravaganza... They got a doctor for your face/ And one to freeze the fat away/And one to help you with addictions for afflictions such as porn." In Tampa, Maizy meets Gordy (Quinn VanAntwerp), a "corn" doctor—a con man posing as a podiatrist, hence "corn" (a bit of a stretch but a funny one). In his intro song, "Bad," theater-goers learn he is a con man, and quite a failure of one. We also learn the mob is on his heels, and he needs to make a lot of cash, fast. After mistaking Maizy's purple rock bracelet (gifted to her by Grandpa (Erick Pinnick) and made from the strange stones present throughout Cob County) for valuable stones, Gordy decides to go along with Maizy's assumption that a "Corn" doctor deals with the crop and head back to Cob County with her in hopes of securing some of the rocks to pay his debt. In the meantime, he woos Maizy, and the two kiss shortly before heading back to Cob. 

Maizy is welcomed home by the community, including her cousin Lulu (Miki Abraham) and Beau, who belts his heart out in heartbreak in "Somebody Will." Lulu, who is incredibly skeptical of Gordy, gets her time to shine in the showstopping "Independently Owned" which was a fan favorite at the February 25th performance as evidenced by the cheers and woos. Miki Abraham is a powerhouse in this number and throughout the entire show. Their comedic timing, poise, and chemistry with Vanantwerp were palpable. They are definitely a highlight of the show. 

And when it comes to highlights, no golden ears of corn shine brighter than Lagerstam and Raynor. They have an immense amount of stage time and are responsible for a hefty amount of the infinite rows full of one-liners and puns. They are enticing, hilarious, endearing, and versatile. Furthermore, they play off each other and the audience like butter on corn. Both are electrifying and enjoyable, however, the stand-out performance of the entire show was easily Raynor. There is not a moment when he is on stage that he is not turned to 11 giving a dazzling performance. Act One ends, and these two are there to welcome the audience back after intermission. 

The second act is a departure from the first. It's a bit slower and more internal. It's here where things get decidedly more Shakespearean, with mix-ups, plots, and multiple weddings. Back in Cob, Gordy gets a call that lets him know the mob is no longer after him, but due to the shotty reception in the boonies of the County, he misinterprets things and thinks he is in more danger than ever. He convinces the people of Cob County that the problem with the corn is the rocks, the purple rocks, which are all under the soil. The people rejoice and get to work, much to the excitement of Maizy, who has proved she is capable and right all along, and Gordy, who thinks it will save his hide. In yet another miscommunication, Maizy believes Gordy proposes and says yes, much to the chagrin of Lulu and Beau. 

The rest of the show follows as Maizy and Beau rekindle their love and set aside their conflicts, and Lulu and Gordy discover their spark. In the number "Friends" Maizy and Lulu solve their conflicts. This is where the show shows its sappier side. Lyrics such as "I have to call you family/ But I get to call you friend" feel a bit Disney Channel, Barney-y, but are sweet nonetheless. 

Eventually, Beau and his brother, Peanut (Mike Nappi) make a plan to get Gordy out of the picture, and Maizy and Lulu make a similar plan for Maizy to break up with Gordy. Both plans go awry in the very funny "Best Man Wins" number, the certified boy song™ of the musical. This number features some great choreography (Sarah O'Gleby, associate choreographer Robin Masella) and staging, with lots of moving barrels and planks (a recurring and very fun blocking trick throughout the show). It also has some of the most dynamic lighting (Japhy Weideman) in the show and is altogether a great spectacle. Gordy simply fesses up out of guilt. He has been changed by the hospitality and honesty of the kind Cob folk and has been inspired to be good. 

The show ends in a happy mix match of Beau and Maizy getting married, and Lulu and Gordy getting together. The Storytellers reveal that they are the grandchildren of the respective couples and that Cob County was forever changed by the love of their grandparents. It is also quickly explained that the corn does get better and that Gordy just so happened to be right about his rock scam. It might seem a bit convenient, but it fits with the humor and happenstance that make the show so unique. 

This big, big show is, at the end of the day, about little things—love, community, and corn. It follows the age-old tale of a young person striking out from their small town into the big world, and learning just how exciting and horrifying the "real world" can be. It is a comedy through and through. There is nary a minute when a joke, pun, euphemism, or double entendre is uttered. And while this format of dad jokes usually is groan-worthy, these jokes are self-indulgent and witty enough to make that groan a pleasant one. The cast really played up to the show's strengths comedically, and the house was full of laughter throughout the entire runtime. 

In terms of the cast, there was no weak link in sight. Of course, the principal performers very clearly earned their roles (Wade, Vanantwerp, and Odmark are all powerhouses), and the entire ensemble (Zakiya Baptiste, Cecily Dionne Davis, Ryan Fitzgerald, Jackson Goad, Erick Pinnick, Celeste Rose, Kyle Sherman, Chani Wereley, and Tyler Joseph Ellis (who usually plays Storyteller 2, and you may know from TikTok)) were really a joy to watch. One could not help but feel excited when the entire company lined up at the edge of the stage to sing and dance. 

The design of the show was also very pleasant and effective. In particular, the costumes (Tilly Grimes) were resplendent and cleverly designed. The people of Cob County were all dressed in garments typical of generic "country" wear, however, their materials were varied—patched together, quilted, etc. They expressed and suggested the world of Cob County—the textures these people live and breathe in. So while a multicolored stylistically stitched muscle-t might not be exactly what a corn farmer would wear, it was the perfect choice for the show. 

The blocking also makes great use of the props and sets (Scott Pask). Everything feels dynamic and captures the viewer's attention. The visual world is cohesive, yet playful, matching the wacky world of the show. 

This cohesion is furthered by the music (Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally), which is a highlight of the show. At its best, it is a fun and sprightly take on American folk music—Americana, country, bluegrass. Some songs do air on more tired musical theater fare, but are nonetheless still pleasant. It may also be the first Broadway music to have a TikTok quote in the lyrics. 

All these elements aid in the communication of the themes of the show—belief in oneself, community, and love. Though corny (sorry), these age-old themes ring true, and their simplicity aids itself to this conventional "jazz-hands" style of musical theater. A particularly endearing refrain repeated through the show referring to that aforementioned love "...grows and grows and in rows and rows from dust..."

There are also smaller nuggets of apt and topical themes presented throughout the piece. These admitted "small-minded" Americans who are so insular and old-fashioned traditionalists are still able to find space and kindness for everyone in their community, regardless of identity. They are from Cob County, which is all that matters to them. The show celebrates and satirizes an idealized Norman Rockwell version of America that his never existed. 

A real treat, and going soon, Shucked is a conventional but still fresh musical riding into town from Broadway on a tractor. Information on tickets can be found at the National Theater's website. The show runs for 2 hours and 15 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.

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