**** Recommended Need some laughs to lift the post-holiday blues? I’ve got the show for you! Shucked is a laugh riot. Honest, I started laughing during the first song – coincidentally called Corn – and never stopped! The story is pure schmaltz but the one-liners never stop! Hurry and get your tickets, Shucked is only here to the end of the week. 4 BIG Spotlights
The story takes place in Cob County (I know), a town completely surrounded by a wall of – you guessed it – corn. In the above mentioned hilarious song, Corn, Storyteller 1 (Maya Lagerstam) and Storyteller 2 (Tyler Joseph Ellis), lead the people in Cob County in a joyful salute to their favorite food. In addition to singing and dancing, the entire ensemble does an intricate hand-jive-ish chorus line routine with corncobs.
Peanut (Mike Nappi) keeps the audience in stitches when he (frequently) steps forward, says “I think …” and adds his own homespun philosophy – in one hilarious one-liner after another.
Beau (Jake Odmark) is ready to marry his sweetheart, Maisy (Danielle Wade) when the corn starts dying, which puts off the wedding. When no one can figure out what’s killing the corn, Maisy suggests that someone should leave Cob County and get help, but Beau – and everyone else – thinks she’s crazy.
Grandpa (Erick Pinnick) even asks her what her dead Grandma would say. Maisy shot back, “Get me out of this box!” By the way, Grandma died doing what she loved most – making toast in the bathtub!
When Maisy leaves town, she ends up in the big city – designated by huge glitzy letters spelling out TAMPA, and people wearing vaguely Caribbean garb! An inept con man and is a disappointment to his family of really excellent con men named Gordy (Quinn VanAntwerp) is knocking around Tampa trying and failing to run a con – until he meets Maisy.
When Gordy notices Maisy’s bracelet – made of rocks Grandpa found under the house – he thinks it’s worth a lot of money. When he finds out the rocks were under the house he convinces Maisy he’s an expert on corn so she’ll take him home.
Back in Cob County, everyone is suspicious of this outsider, but Cousin Lulu (Miki Abraham) has his number and lets him know she’s watching.
The enthusiastic, exuberant ensemble includes Zakiya Baptiste, Mackenzie Bell, Carly Caviglia, Cecily Dionne Davis, Ryan Fitzgerald, Sean Casey Flanagan, Jackson Goad, Erick Pinnick, Nick Raynor, Celeste Rose, Kyle Sherman and Chani Wereley.
The Shucked orchestra includes Nick Williams (Conductor/Keyboard), Jeff Theiss (Associate Conductor/Keyboard/Guitar), Andy Poxon (Guitars), Patrick Phalen IV (Drums/Percussion) and Marc Hogan (Bass).
Shucked was written by Robert Horn with music by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. The show is directed by Jack O’Brien, choreographed by Sarah O’Gleby, with music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Jason Howland.
Shucked runs through January 19th at Broadway in Chicago’s CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe, Chicago. Running time is two hours, 15 minutes, with an intermission. Performances are Tuesday at 7:00 pm; Wednesday at 1:00 & 7:00 pm; Thursday at 7:00 pm; Friday at 7:30 pm; Saturday at 2:00 & 7:30 pm; and Sunday at 1:00. Tickets range from $35-$130. FYI www.BroadwayInChicago.com