Some Broadway wags might have scoffed at the idea of a cornpone musical comedy and its punny promotions. But with its exuberance, heart and non-stop yucks, “Shucked” is the surprise delight of the season.
Minus stars and featuring a new Broadway composing team and an original book, this old-pro production is a throwback to the joys of lightweight musical comedy: where fresh talent is discovered, songs are catchy, jokes are plentiful and characters are appealing, fun and sweetly simple. Yet as one character in the show says, “There’s a cornfield of difference between simple and stupid. That’s a simple mistake stupid people make.”
Well, never underestimate the power of stupid.
Start with the plot as presented by two personable storytellers (Grey Henson, Tony nominated for “Mean Girls” and Ashley D, Kelley) who set the playful and deliberately corny tone of the show from the get-go.
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They present a “farm-to-fable” tale about an isolated, seemingly self-sufficient, rural community that’s centered around its production and celebration of all things corn. But when the crops suddenly fail, Maize (Caroline Innerbichler), the town’s can-do gal, decides that sometimes it takes more than a village to survive — it takes outside help, too.
Maizy postpones her wedding to her longtime beau Beau (Andrew Durand) and ventures to the big city — Tampa — where she meets Gordon (John Behlmann), a faux podiatrist who’s more of a con man than a corn man. When he discovers that Maizy’s town may be sitting on valuable mineral deposits, he returns with her to the town to ostensibly save the harvest with his so-called expert corn know-how — but really to swipe the rocks. Sensing Gordon’s bad-boy vibe — and kinda loving it — is Maizy’s libidinous cousin Lulu (Alex Newell, a force of nature who brings the house down with “Independently Owned”). There’s also Beau’s bro Peanut (Kevin Cahoon, hysterical in his oddball pronouncements) and daft Grandpa (Dwane Clark). Even the ensemble performers have their comic moments in their multiple parts.
“Shucked” began a decade ago as a stage version of the hayseed sketch TV series “Hee-Haw,” but the show has had a complete overhaul now as a smart-dumb book musical by veteran comedy writer Robert Horn (Tony for “Tootsie,” TV’s “Designing Women”). Horn’s fantastical narrative is pretty thin yet filled with characters to care about. He then has them all spouting silly similes, twisted metaphors and non-ironic/pro-moronic jokes that has audiences rolling in the eyes — and loving it.
The production is sturdily reinforced by stage vet Jack O’Brien, setting the tone and bringing polish, as well as an infectious spirit of glee, warmth, and discovery, just as he did for “Hairspray” and “The Full Monty.”
The country music writing team of Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally makes a smooth transition to the stage with songs that perfectly rise from the emotional moments, offering ear-worm melodies and on-the-money theatrical moments which the talented cast plays to the hilt.
Innerbichler brings an appealing presence and a clarion voice that can twang as well as belt, whether it be the ballad “Walls” or the anthem “Woman of the World.” She is perfectly paired with the slightly goofy and very handsome Durant, who brings rockstar chops in “Somebody Will,” sweet vulnerability in “I’ll Be OK” and comic quirks throughout. Behlmann has a trickier balancing act playing the less-than-brilliant crook and succeeds with a loose-limbed physicality, inherent likability and an off-center comic sensibility that is disarming, even when it doesn’t make sense.
But everything in the show is slightly tilty here, including Scott Pask’s great wooden barn of a set, lit to maximum effect by Japhy Weideman. Choreographer Sarah O’Gleby adds to the sense of oddball with corn dancing, barrel rolling and hoofing.
Those looking for silly, sweet and salty escapism will only be too happy to get “Shucked.”
