Displaying items by tag: Shucked

It’s the second act, and Beau (Jake Odmark) is in quite a state. The love of his life is about to marry another man, and he doesn’t know what to do. In an effort to lift him up, his friends do what anyone in their positions should do – insult the competition and highlight all of Beau’s strengths in the process. The effort is spearheaded by Beau’s loveable younger brother, Peanut (Mike Nappi – with an adorably genuine charisma.)

“Best Man Wins” is fast-paced and hilarious - with a tune that just might invite you to dance along in your seats. As Beau sits dejected on a barrel, his friends surround him – each hopping in with an insult about this “other man” that trumps the last. Sarah O’Gleby’s choreography does not disappoint. With talented performers jumping on barrels and racing on beams throughout the farmhouse, there is an impressive feat to witness regardless of where you direct your attention on stage. As Beau becomes consumed in the positivity and joins his friends in the choreography, this particular audience roared with applause – clearly swept up in the journey alongside him.

As you take in the musical as an audience member, you might find that Shucked amazes for a number of reasons. The script is witty, and the love story is the definition of wholesome. However, in my personal opinion, what truly sets this production apart is the talent in the ensemble as a whole. The soloists in particular wow with their vocal capabilities – with Lulu (Miki Abraham), Maizy (Danielle Wade), and Beau (Jake Odmark) standing out in particular. However, every ensemble member exudes a joyful energy that is impossible not to love. This, in my opinion, is so much a part of what makes this production a success.

The Cast of The North American Tour of SHUCKED.

With book by Robert Horn and music and lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McNally, Shucked follows Maizy (Danielle Wade) as she sets out to save Cob County’s dying corn crop – despite her fiancé, Beau’s, wishes. She finds Gordy (Quinn Vanantwerp) in Tampa – a podiatrist she believes can be the hero they need, and one who is more than excited to trick the community into giving him their precious resources as he “heals” their crops. Much as to be expected, nothing quite goes as expected when Maizy brings this new man home. However, as with so many romantic comedies, the true lessons are in the journey, and each of the characters has a little something to learn about how to love those closest to them.

The musical features a catchy score – full of hits that are sure to keep you singing on the way home including “Corn,” “Travelin’ Song,” “OK,” and “Holy Shit.” As much as the high-energy songs wow and amaze, the slower, emotional ballads carry an equal level of wonder – particularly with the voices that perform them. Beau’s rendition of “Somebody Will” elicited cheers that lasted minutes as he completed the solo. The song appears in the middle of the first act, when Beau finds himself stuck – hoping that Maisy will return to him but also unsure if he should forgive her for leaving him in the first place. Odmark’s vibrato soared in this performance, but the grounded, emotional energy he infused into the number truly pushed it over the top.

Directed by Jack O’Brien, Shucked is a classic romantic comedy – with all of the ups and downs that come with it. Romance fans in the audience are sure to find themselves looking away as the central heroes make silly choices and leaning in when they see them get increasingly closer to solidifying the happy ending of which they always dreamed. The script itself is witty, filled with dark, comedic jokes that keep you on your toes as you watch the events unfold. A good portion of the comedy comes from the two narrators at the center – Storyteller 1 (Maya Lagerstam) and Storyteller 2 (Tyler Joseph Ellis). Both performers showcase top-notch comedic timing and judging by the uproars of laughter surrounding me at this performance, I was not the only one who felt this way.

Full of laughter and infectious joy, Shucked is the perfect show for the family as Chicago slides into the colder months.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Shucked runs through January 19, 2025 at the CIBC Theatre – 18 W Monroe Street. See the Broadway in Chicago website for further information regarding tickets.

Individual tickets for SHUCKED, the Tony Award® winning musical comedy The Wall Street Journal calls "flat out hilarious," will go on sale on Friday, November 8. SHUCKED will play Broadway In Chicago's CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) for a limited two-week engagement, January 7 - 19.

SHUCKED features a "superb book" (New York Post) by Tony Award winner Robert Horn, a score filled with "earworm songs" (The Daily Beast) by Grammy Award winners, Tony Award nominees and Nashville music superstars Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, and direction with "an infectious spirit of glee and warmth" (Variety) by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien.

What do you get when you pair a semi-neurotic, New York comedy writer with two music superstars from Nashville? A hilarious and audacious farm-to-fable musical about the one thing Americans everywhere can't get enough of: corn. SHUCKED is the new musical comedy that proves sometimes tearing down a few walls, rather than growing them, is the only way to preserve our way of life. SHUCKED is turning musical theater on its ear and is offering a kernel of hope for our divided nation.

The cast includes Miki Abraham (Shucked on Broadway) as Lulu, Tyler Joseph Ellis ("The Sex Lives of College Girls") as Storyteller 2, Maya Lagerstam (The Gospel According to Heather) as Storyteller 1, Mike Nappi (Darling Grenadine) as Peanut, Jake Odmark (Kinky Boots) as Beau, Quinn VanAntwerp (Shucked on Broadway) as Gordy and Danielle Wade ("Cady" in the Mean Girls National Tour) as Maizy.

The cast also 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.

With choreography by Sarah O'Gleby, and music supervision, music direction, orchestrations, and arrangements by 2023 Tony Award, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award nominee Jason Howland, the design team for SHUCKED includes 2023 Tony Award nominee and Tony Award winner Scott Pask (scenic design), 2023 Drama Desk Award nominee Tilly Grimes (costume design), Tony Award nominee Japhy Weideman (lighting design), Tony Award winner and 2023 Drama Desk Award nominee John Shivers (sound design), Academy Award® winner and Emmy Award® winner Mia Neal (wig design), and Stephen Kopel, C12 Casting (casting director). SHUCKED is produced by Mike Bosner and Jason Owen.

The Grammy Award nominated SHUCKED – Original Broadway Cast Recording is available on all streaming platforms and CD HERE.  The album is produced by Jason Howland, Billy Jay Stein, and the show's composers Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark.

www.shuckedmusical.com

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www.tiktok.com/@shuckedmusical>

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Tuesday, January 7 at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 8 at 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, January 9 at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, January 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, January 11 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 12 at 1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, January 14 at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 15 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, January 16 at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, January 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, January 18 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 19 at 1:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION

Individual tickets for SHUCKED will go on sale to the public on Friday, November 8 and range from $35.00 - $125.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more  information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com .

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 25 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop including the  Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, Auditorium Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway  Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

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