‘Shucked’ @ Bass Performance Hall (Performing Arts Fort Worth)
Photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
—Carol M. Rice
If you’re a fan of corny jokes, then Shucked is the show for you! With a book by Robert Horn and music and lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, this ridiculously funny musical opened on Broadway in 2023 and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It’s easy to see why. With a simple yet charming plot, catchy songs, and ongoing groaners (i.e. jokes so bad you have to groan), Shucked has shot to the top of my Favorite New Musicals category.
And…the national touring company is at Bass Performance Hall (part of PAFW’s “Broadway at the Bass” series) through Sunday.
We are guided through the story by two Storytellers, played by Tyler Joseph Ellis and Maya Lagerstam. These two energetic performers carry the show, and their excellent comic timing just adds to the groan factor. They are lots of fun to watch, especially when they take on additional roles as mobsters and jewelry appraisers.
Danielle Wade is the heroine of our show, Maizy (yes, they went there). When the corn starts dying in the middle of her wedding, she decides someone needs to leave the close-knit community of Cob County (they went there, too!) to get help. Wade’s Maizy is cute and vulnerable, but she’s not afraid to stand up for herself, and her songs are sweet and memorable, especially “Walls” and “Woman of the World.”
Unfortunately, no one seems to think she’s smart enough to fix the problem of the dying corn, including her fiancé Beau, played by Jake Odmark. Now, he obviously loves her but everyone in town has always looked up to him, so he wants to be in charge. Odmark plays Beau as a little too full of himself for his own good, yet still extremely likeable. We definitely want him to get the girl at the end. I loved his solo number “OK.”
Beau’s somewhat dim-witted brother Peanut is brilliantly portrayed by Mike Nappi. Nappi can tell the most deadpan groaners and still manage to play a caring and encouraging sibling. Maizy’s confidante is her cousin Lulu, playfully portrayed by Miki Abraham. Other than Nappi, they have some of the best one-liners in the show, especially those involving sexual innuendo, and Abraham knows just the right way to deliver them for maximum laughs. They also boast a powerhouse voice and totally shine while singing “Independently Owned.”
Once Maizy goes off to the big city of Tampa she meets Gordy, a shady con man coolly played by Quinn VanAntwerp. He’s posing as a podiatrist (wait for it), and because his sign says “The Corn Doctor,” Maizy misunderstands. Gordy takes a shine to her, especially upon seeing her bracelet; he’s led to believe the stones are valuable and agrees to go with her to help fix Cob County’s dying corn problem. In actuality, of course, he’s just after the stones, since he’s in debt to some mobsters. VanAntwerp is lanky and charming, and it’s easy to see why Maizy falls for him.
But Lulu also falls for Gordy, but not before he and Maizy are engaged—much to Beau’s dismay. Fortunately, everyone in Cob County has a plan to get Beau and Maizy back together, resulting in one of the catchiest numbers of the show, “Best Man Wins.”
Sadly, this song also highlights the fact that the amazing ensemble of Shucked is woefully underutilized. They’re great in the numbers they’re in, but I wanted to see more of them. Some of the smaller named roles (Grandpa, played by Erick Pinnick, and Tank, played by Kyle Sherman) are also underutilized. This is a problem with the show’s book and not the performances, however.
Shucked’s incredible asymmetrical set was designed by Scott Pask, and enhanced by Japhy Weideman’s beautiful lighting design. And Tilly Grimes’ costume designs were perfect for each character. I especially liked how Gordy stood out as an outsider once he arrived in Cob County.
Unfortunately, the sound at Bass Performance Hall made it difficult to understand some of the dialogue and lyrics, especially in the first act. They seemed to have fixed/improved things somewhat in the second act, but the quality of the sound remained muddy, and I’m sure I missed a lot of good laughs early on. This was my first time seeing a show at Bass Hall where I experienced this problem.
Directed by Broadway guru Jack O’Brien, Shucked is a delightful tour through a pun-filled cornfield. Sarah O’Gleby’s choreography is clever and unique, and Nick Williams’ music direction—alongside Jason Howland’s music supervision, orchestration and arrangements—make this an all-around, toe-tapping romp.
If you’re in the mood for more cornball jokes than you ever thought possible in a two-hour time span—and are looking to laugh (and groan) a lot—be sure to see Shucked during its short run at Bass Performance Hall.
WHEN: July 29-August 3, 2025
WHERE: Bass Performance Hall, Fort Worth
WEB: basshall.com
