"Shucked" is a Fun, Feel-Good Musical You Won't Forget

Danielle Wade as Maizy and Miki Abraham as Lulu in The North American Tour of SHUCKED (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)

What happens when you take an earful of corny-on-purpose jokes, deliver them non-stop, and wrap them up in a classic love triangle story? Well, in the case of the North American tour of Shucked, you get a hilarious, heartwarming comedy. The show, onstage at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) through March 9, is a Tony Award winner that packs all the right comedic punches. Featuring a funny book by Robert Horn, a surprisingly tender score by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, and exuberant direction from Jack O’Brien, this musical is the perfect pick for brightening your day and reconnecting with your silly side.

The tale begins when two young storytellers (Maya Lagerstam and Tyler Joseph Ellis) direct viewers to turn their attention to the small, down-home town of Cob County. In this town, they meet the adorable Maizy (Danielle Wade) and her smitten fiance, Beau (Jake Odmark). The darling duo is preparing to say “I do” when they discover, to their horror, that the local corn crops are dying.

In a town that runs on, lives on, and deeply loves—like really, really loves—corn, that just won’t do. So, the daring young Maizy decides to brave her way to the “big city” of Tampa, Florida in search of solutions. What she finds instead is a “corn doctor” turned conman, Gordy (played by Jackson Goad at Tuesday’s performance). She brings him and his hidden, nefarious intentions, as well as some budding romantic feelings of her own, back to Cob County, and hilarity ensues.

Gordy thinks tricking these simple townsfolk will be easy, but he’s met with hilarious foils at every turn. Beau is jealous, Maizy’s cousin Lulu (Miki Abraham) is suspicious, and the cell phone reception is poor. All things combined, he’s in for a wild, hilarious ride, and so is the audience. Jokes fly at every moment, the direction reaches a frenzied pace, and romantic interests change and shift in surprising ways.

The aforementioned storytellers act as the tale’s “glue,” holding everything together and interjecting narration where needed. They also do some impressive double duty as they step into and out of various side-character roles. Their speedy, simultaneous impression of two jewelers and two mobsters is one of many laugh-a-minute highlights from their enthusiastic performance. 

And, speaking of stellar stage acting, Wade’s Maizy has a precious presence. With her big, bouncy curls and Dolly Parton voice, she plays her character as endearingly (and believably) naive and supremely relatable. After all, who hasn’t had big dreams and a desire to break away from the norm? Her counterpart and character opposite, Beau, is equally relatable. While he may be stuck in his ways, his heart is in the right place. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Odmark is positively charming in his portrayal. His delivery of “Somebody Will,” a country-style ballad, is particularly honest and heartfelt.

While these two may be at the center of the show’s story, viewers can’t help but notice Abraham’s “Lulu.” In fact, “notice” is too light of a word. Abraham commands the stage with their booming, powerhouse voice, raunchy jokes, and straight-shooting performance. While almost everything out of Lulu’s mouth is designed for laughter, Abraham delivers the dialogue in such a believable way that viewers buy fully into this character. They also have the incredible singing chops necessary to deliver “Independently Owned,” one of the show’s sassiest, most unforgettable musical hits.

Adding to the fun is Mike Nappi’s portrayal of Peanut, Beau’s rambling brother. Peanut is prone to long, meandering outbursts, and Nappi has the skill and comedic timing for each delivery. He even knows when to pause and let the surprisingly insightful lines—and there are plenty of them— take their full effect. 

As these crazy characters scramble toward their happy fate, the seamless writing and direction keep everything on course and properly paced. The resolution doesn’t feel rushed or unnatural, and there’s even a nice little surprise at the end. Plus, Scott Pask’s scenic design, which features a ramshackle barn and oh-so-many stalks of corn, serves as a pleasant, homey backdrop for this comforting, feel-good tale about life, connections, and the power of opening your heart and mind.

Watching this “farm-to-fable” tale feels like slipping into your pajamas and watching a familiar sitcom episode with some surprise bonus footage. It feels like coming home, and in today’s world, that’s a much-needed feeling.

-Susie Potter