Maya Lagerstam and Tyler Joseph Ellis (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
Reviewed by G. Bruce Smith
Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Through Sept. 7
RECOMMENDED
If ever a show could use supertitles, it would have to be the Tony Award-winning musical Shucked, because the jokes – particularly the one-liners and puns – come so fast and furiously that text reinforcement might come in handy. In fact, even some of the plot points are performed at such a high ethanol-fueled level (sorry, could not resist) that supertitles might help in handling the sometimes dizzying pace.
This is a long way of saying that the traveling production of this corn-fed musical, currently at the Hollywood Pantages, is a delightfully funny, clever and energetic romp, accentuated by songs (music and lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally) that nicely capture the book’s (Robert Horn) charm. Director Jack O’Brien cultivates the show’s sparkle with lively staging, and simple but effective choreography by Sarah O’gleby adds a level of energy to the production.
The plot is narrated by two amiable Storytellers (Tyler Joseph Ellis and Maya Lagerstam) and revolves around the residents of Cob County as they face a crisis — the corn is dying. Maizy (Danielle Wade) puts off her wedding to Beau (Jake Odmark) to find help to save the crop, and heads to the big city, Tampa. There she meets Gordy (Quinn Vanantwerp), a podiatrist who bills himself as a corn doctor — so naturally Maizy invites Gordy to Cob County to fix its problem. Gordy agrees because it turns out he’s a con man in debt to the mob and sees dollar signs in Maizy’s bracelet that he plans to get his hands on.
In Act II, the plot thickens. Maizy and Beau’s romance is in trouble because Maizy finds herself attracted to Gordy, who in turn is falling for Maizy’s feisty, independent cousin Lulu (Miki Abraham). There are some complications because of misunderstandings and various conflicts, but ultimately all ends happily.
The cast is uniformly strong and is clearly having a great deal of fun on stage (Who wouldn’t with a show like this?). While the score works well with book — and the numbers range from upbeat songs to sweet ballads — none is particularly memorable. But, aw shucks, who cares? This corn-bred musical is likely to produce a bumper crop of fans throughout its tour.
Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Tuesdays-Thursday, 7:30 pm; Fridays, 8 pm; Saturdays, 2 pm and 8 pm; Sundays, 1 pm and 6:30 pm. shuckedmusical.com. Running time, Two hours, including intermission.
