Shucked at the Keller Auditorium

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Earlier this week, I headed to the Keller Auditorium to see Shucked, one of the newest additions to the Broadway in Portland season lineup. I’d seen the buzz around it for months — a bright, musical comedy about a corn-loving small town that promised to be “the funniest thing since The Book of Mormon.” With that kind of comparison, I expected a sharp, crass, laugh-out-loud satire that would have the whole audience in stitches.

Spoiler alert: it’s not that kind of funny.

That Book of Mormon comparison honestly feels like sweet tea versus a shot of whiskey. Shucked is more of a wink-and-giggle kind of show — bright, punny, and intentionally wholesome rather than wild or boundary-pushing. But to its credit, it’s not pretending otherwise. Shucked knows exactly what it is: a world of small-town silliness, catchy country music, and unapologetic dad jokes. It’s pure escapism — and for some theatergoers, that’s exactly what they’re hoping for.

Shucked fully embraces the “corn” in corny. From the opening number to the final bow, it’s wall-to-wall puns, playful one-liners, and exaggerated Southern twang. The humor feels a lot like something your dad would tell at a barbecue: equal parts groan worthy and incredibly endearing. The show leans into its own ridiculousness, breaking the fourth wall with two narrators who guide the story (and occasionally roast the audience), keeping everything light and fun.

It’s also a completely different brand of humor than the one audiences might expect from its marketing. Where The Book of Mormon thrives on shock value, Shucked aims for charm. Its jokes are safe, its characters are sweet, and even when the humor dips into innuendo, it’s done with a wink rather than a gasp. That’s not a bad thing — it just makes it important to go in knowing what kind of show you’re about to see.

Musically, the score by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally (both acclaimed Nashville songwriters) is where Shucked shines most. It blends the storytelling style of musical theatre with country and Americana roots, giving each number a sense of personality and heart. A few songs even stand out beyond the humor — Maizy’s ballads and Lulu’s powerhouse solos, in particular, show off incredible, strong vocals and solid songwriting.

Set in the fictional town of Cob County, Shucked centers around Maizy, a bright, optimistic young woman preparing to marry her fiancé, Beau. Life is simple — until the town’s beloved corn crop suddenly starts to die. Determined to save her home, Maizy ventures beyond the county line for the first time and meets Gordy, a fast-talking “corn doctor” from Tampa who seems to have all the answers (and a few secrets).

Back home, her cousin Lulu and brother Peanut keep spirits high with their hilarious commentary and small-town antics. The story plays out as a mix of romance, mistaken intentions, and lessons about honesty, family, and standing by your roots — literally and figuratively.

While the plot is thin in places, it serves its purpose: a simple backdrop for jokes, heart, and music. And to its credit, Shucked never takes itself too seriously. Even when it borders on predictable, it manages to pull audiences along with its sheer good-natured energy.

Shucked is a strange little musical in the best way. It knows exactly what it’s doing — cracking dad jokes, singing about corn, and leaning so far into its theme that it practically becomes a character itself. It’s not going to change anyone’s life, but it will make you smile (and roll your eyes) more than once.

If you love shows like Something Rotten or The Prom, or you have a soft spot for musical comedies that are more about fun than finesse, this one will probably hit the mark. If, on the other hand, you’re expecting the biting humor or clever chaos of Beetlejuice or The Book of Mormon, Shucked may feel a little mild by comparison.

That said, there’s still something refreshing about a show that’s just plain silly and proud of it. Shucked celebrates community, self-discovery, and the joy of laughing at life’s absurdities — even when the jokes are as old as a cornstalk in August. It might not have been my personal favorite of the season, but I can see exactly why it’s connecting with audiences looking for an easy laugh and a light night out at the theater.

Ticket & Show Info:

Tickets can be purchased HERE

Tuesday, October 28 – 7:30 PM

Wednesday, October 29 – 7:30 PM

Thursday, October 30 – 7:30 PM (ASL Interpreted)

Friday, October 31 – 7:30 PM (Audio Description)

Saturday, November 1 – 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

Sunday, November 2 – 1:00 PM & 6:30 PM (Open Caption)

 PORTLAND, OR ~ Broadway in Portland is pleased to announce that Shucked, the Tony Award® winning musical comedy The Wall Street Journal calls “flat out hilarious,” comes to Portland’s Keller Auditorium from October 28 – November 2.

Tickets are available at www.BroadwayinPortland.com.

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.

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, Carly Caviglia, Cecily Dionne Davis, Ryan Fitzgerald, Sean Casey Flanagan, Jackson Goad, Erick Pinnick, Nick Raynor, Celeste Rose, Kyle Sherman, Mallorie Sievert, and Chani Wereley.

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.

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.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

The performance schedule for the Portland engagement of Shucked is:

Tuesday, October 28 – 7:30 PM
Wednesday, October 29 – 7:30 PM
Thursday, October 30 – 7:30 PM (ASL Interpreted)
Friday, October 31 – 7:30 PM (Audio Description)
Saturday, November 1 – 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
Sunday, November 2 – 1:00 PM & 6:30 PM (Open Caption)