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“Shucked” stalks up on an earful of amusing puns and a hootenanny of talented singing and boastful dancing but falls short on attention grabbing pull. The humor jam packed full of corn puns by the storytellers and innuendo from the main cast are sorted between the sleep inducing songs. Production value is professional enough against music that head nods slipping into heavy eyelids. The shock of returning to the stage able to piece together any gaps that may have been missed felt like tuning in and out of a TV soap opera.
The history of a small farm town that prides itself in growing fields of corn and manufacturing corn based products such as whiskey. Storytellers (Maya Lagerstam and Joe Moeller) share a tale of a significant event that occurred in which just before the wedding of Beau (Nick Bailey) and Maiz (Danielle Wade), the local corn stalks began to mysteriously wilt. If livelihood is to continue to thrive in the town, the corn must return back to health.
The last option is for a local to venture out to the real world to seek aid. Maizy shows little hesitation drawn to the calling but Beau doubts the answer is in the outside world. Maizy is soon attracted to city-slicker Gordy (Quinn Vanantwerp). Gordy arrives under false pretenses to solve the corn problem while really hiding out to pay off his looming debt. Maizy and Beau are not alone even when not together. Maizy’s cousin Lulu (Miki Abraham) and Beau’s friend, Peanut (Mike Nappi) latch on with their own set of advice and comic spirit.
“Shucked” is no corn hole in one as it hits and misses on gags and retaining drifting interest. A contemporary twist of “The Music Man” meets “Oklahoma”. The talent stands out holding the forgettable songs with chuckling word play. Nick Bailey as Beau gives it his all through emotional voice and body expressions. The storytellers in the end get sweetly folded into the main story that ties up their place with the characters.
For those with a musical hankering for country living and farm raised goodness to be expected from the likes of “Knott’s Berry Farm”, “Shucked” will satisfy that tasty mouth watering craving. Playing at the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts from November 11 – 23, 2025. Book by Robert Horn. Music & Lyrics by Brandy Clark & Shane McAnally. For more information including ticket sales, visit www.scfta.org
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