Have a shuckin’ good time at the Overture Center

You won’t like “Shucked” if you can’t get a little corny with it. 

“Shucked” is the story of a small town in Cob County, whose inhabitants have lived safely inside the high walls of corn for generations. When the crop begins to wilt one day, our protagonist Maizy runs away to Tampa, Florida, where she meets con man Gordy, a fake podiatrist — a self-identifying “corn doctor” — who returns to Cob County as a part of a ruse to repay his debts. 

Along the way, characters fall out of love, back in love and make a lot of jokes that cycle between audience laughter and groaning. Its story is driven by two storytellers, narrators who insert themselves into the story to poke fun at moments of insanity and keep the pacing all right. 

The show’s puns are constant and without consent — attacking the audience every moment until you don’t know if you’re laughing because you genuinely found it funny, or you can’t believe they managed to slip another one in. Perhaps the best example is delivered by the character Peanut, who rambles three “Well, I think…” one-liners before saying what’s actually on his mind. It was funny, I think. 

“Shucked” doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is something else that helps its jokes land. It’s stupid, but you don’t want to be the guy who couldn’t laugh at the lyric “it's the same going in coming out.” And yes, they do reference the “Corn Kid” meme, unfortunately aging itself. 

The show also pioneered a new dance technique, cornography. Without spoiling too much, audience members can expect corn to be used in ways beyond their wildest dreams. 

The characters are charming, and even when they do bad things it’s hard to be mad. The plot is more of a suggestion than a fact, held together just enough by its narrators. Conflict is mostly used as an opportunity for a catchy dance number or ensemble-backed ballad. 

The detachment from the outside world as a result of the corn walls created a truly unique group of townies, although there are personalities that might resonate if you’re from a small town. After all, Wisconsin is one of the highest corn producers in the United States.

I was lucky enough to see the original Broadway cast in 2023 and went in with high expectations. It can be hard to follow up the vocals of Alex Newell, who was as much of the muse as the creator for their character and received a Tony for their performance. But this production’s Lulu (Miki Abraham) wasn’t messing around — their rendition of “Independently Owned” brought the house down.

Quinn Vanantwerp, who played Gordy, a former member of the Broadway cast, seemed more grounded in the character than when I had first seen the show. Danielle Wade and Jake Odmark’s interpretations of Maizy and Beau were fresh and enjoyable, and Mike Nappi’s Peanut made his off-the-rail moments endearing. 

He only had a few lines, but Erick Pinnick’s Grandpa drew some of the loudest laughs from the audience. And lastly, the show would simply not be complete without its heart and soul of Storyteller 1 and 2, played by Maya Lagerstam and Tyler Joseph Ellis (yes, that guy from TikTok). 

With a soundtrack of high-energy songs, it’s hard to pick a favorite when the cast is truly radiating joy in each note. Or maybe the audience was drunk on the overdose of endorphins from the non-stop jokes and was easy to draw smiles from. 

And yet, something strange happened. Right at the 11th hour, the show hits you with the song “Friends,” a ballad about the power of female friendship. Toward the end, “Shucked” peels back an ear, revealing a softness that can usually only come from being soaked in butter. 

It’s no drama, but “Shucked” brings in the right amount of heart to ground an otherwise out-of-this-world story. Whether you take your corn on or off the cob, as long as you can bite it, there’s something in this show for everyone. 

“Shucked” is running at the Overture Center through Feb. 9. 

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