Critical Review at Hennepin Arts

The Cast of The North American Tour of SHUCKED (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman) I saw Shucked on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 (opening night) at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. I was expecting corny jokes, a corny setting, and corny everything. After all, it’s in the name! While it’s true that Shucked is incredibly cheesy (or corn-y?), it doesn’t pretend to be something it's not and fully commits. What surprised me most is how this touring production hits the balance between including genuinely funny moments while also feeling comforting and predictable. In this cold and icy Minnesota winter, a warm bowl of corn pudding could be exactly what we need. I won’t sugar coat that the plot is predictable. Set in Cob County, a small uptight town where corn is the primary focus, the show kicks into action when crops at the same time Maizy (nice name) and Beau are about to be married. Maizy leaves to find help in Tampa. She returns with “corn doctor” Gordy, has a brief affair, ...

  Danielle Wade as Maizy and Miki Abraham as Lulu in the North American Tour of Shucked   Photo: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman Here in Minneapolis is the first National Tour of the 2023 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Shucked ! Set in Cobb County, a small town that built its livelihood from the corn fields. But what happens when their prized crop starts dying with no solution in sight? Following this is a journey to a bigger world, heartbreak, and double entendres to the word “corn.” Filled with corny punch lines and crude humor in every other sentence, this is a show that’s sure to pack a punch. Be ready for a wild ride with fast flying references and jokes—you won’t want to miss them! It surprised me that a musical that is famous for its “shucking” amount of jokes could be profound. There were moments throughout the show that actually brought me to tears; it’s sure to capture your heart and deserves to capture your attention. Helping to bring this rural-storybook s...

When I got ready on January 6th to see the “corn musical” at the Orpheum Theatre, I was not expecting to experience one of the most moving moments of my life. Going into this musical, I knew Shucked was a comedy, but it wasn’t until I had been laughing non-stop for the first 20 or so minutes that I realized: the comedy is the entire point of the show. As a current citizen of both the USA as well as the state of Minnesota, I believe that this show is exactly what the world needs right now.  Shucked follows a town that is in desperate need of help after their corn crops begin drying up. Since corn is the sole provider of food, economic activity, and fashionable disguises, soon-to-be wed Maizy leaves the small town to find help from an outsider. The town of Cobb County was an incredibly fun setting due to the unifying denim of the costumes made by designer Tilly Grimes, as well as the punchy choreography by SNL and The Tonight Show choreographer Sarah O’Gleby. Some of the most sta...

     There’s this great new musical at the Orpheum right now! No really, it has everything: humor and heart, love and lies, and songs guaranteed to get stuck in your head. The first song? It’s called “Corn”. It’s… yeah.. about corn. But before you pass your judgment on Shucked , the musical written by Robert Horn and scored by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, I implore you to look a little deeper. As the residents of Cobb County know, it’s what’s inside that counts.  Humor is a tricky thing, and humor for such a wide audience is even harder. However, Shucked has jokes for everyone. There is a healthy dose of innuendo in their jokes, something I didn’t expect from their friendly corn-cob posters, but it stops short of being divisive. Other shows (think: Book Of Mormon ) rely on shock value from jabs at things like religion and politics, and Shucked does grant a few eyebrow raises and a couple ‘ oooh ’s, but never enough to stop the smiling.  Humor is definit...

                                           "Maya Lagerstam as Storyteller 1 and Tyler Joseph Ellis as Storyteller 2 in The North American Tour of SHUCKED (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)  Shucked is currently delighting audiences with its surprisingly ingenious innuendos and funky musical score at the Orpheum Theatre from Jan. 6th-11th, 2026. While I do love corn, I was suspicious of the show’s obsession with that yellow grain. However, after seeing the production in its opening performance, I too learned to fall head over heels for that versatile veggie. The show follows the fabled residents of Cob County who are threatened by a corn blight and saved by an unlikely heroine. With a country score by the Grammy Award-winning songwriting team of Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark, the show’s music was incredible. Country music is not a genre I wou...

I knew one thing going into this show: There would be funny jokes about corn. I didn’t know, however, that when I left, I would be mesmerized and uplifted by a story about a small town community. Shucked, now playing at the Orpheum Theatre until Jan. 11, is a new comedy about the smallest town imaginable, Cob County, and its inhabitants. When her way of life in this town is threatened, Maizy (Danielle Wade) sets out to save it and, in the process, explores the importance of relationships, identity, and the lengths people will go to preserve them.  Written by Robert Horn, this production shines under the direction of Jack O’Brien. The immersive storyline is packed with lots of dark humor and literal comedy in all of the right places. In many shows, the jokes are geared towards specific age groups (usually older adults), and I don’t always catch them. With this show, I was laughing nonstop, something that I haven’t experienced from any production I’ve seen in my lifetime.  Femal...

If you were to tell me a musical about corn would be one of the funniest and most heartfelt shows I’ve seen, I wouldn't have believed you. However, Shucked is a musical that exceeded my expectations in nearly every way. From its clever script to its energetic performances, the show balances humor with impressive precision. Through the complex relationship, witty dialogue, and lively music, the audience is left both entertained and emotionally invested in the story.  Danielle Wade was a standout performer who brought both comedy and emotional depth to the role of Maizy. She carefully captured the character’s determination, uncertainty, and growth throughout the show. In addition to her strong acting, Wade’s singing added an essential layer to Maizy’s character. Her vocals were clear, expressive, and emotionally grounded, allowing her songs to feel personal instead of performative.  Another stand out performer was Miki Abraham as Lulu, who commanded the stage with confid...

The Wiz was an unforgettable theatrical experience that showcased the power of vocals, storytelling, and visual artistry. From the second the screen rose, the production captivated the audience with its brilliant costumes, dynamic performances, and absolutely flawless vocals. This retelling of The Wizard of Oz felt fresh, lively and emotionally meaningful, making it clear why The Wiz has remained such an important and beloved musical.  The Wiz originated as a musical in 1974, but had a rocky start full of mixed reviews. It started to grow in popularity on Broadway in 1975. Then in 1978 a movie version came out, with stars such as Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Despite the incredible cast this movie was a critical failure and wasn’t appreciated until much later. The Wiz closed in 1979 and finally reopened in 2023. Since then it has returned to Broadway and is touring once again. One of the most striking elements of this production was the use of color and costume desig...

The Wiz 2025 Broadway tour demonstrates how a once trailblazing musical can grow with its audience while staying true to itself. When The Wiz debuted in the 1970s, its very presence was radical: a large-scale, joyful Broadway musical created by and for Black artists. Nearly fifty years later, its influence is no longer measured by surprise but by perspective. This production recognizes that contemporary audiences exist in a theatrical landscape The Wiz helped shape, and it responds by centering themes of belonging, self-definition, and shared experience. At its foundation, The Wiz remains a retelling of The Wizard of Oz powered by soul, gospel, and rhythm. Charlie Smalls’ score continues to anchor the production emotionally. Songs like “Ease On Down the Road” and “Home” still resonate, but their meaning has shifted with time. Where they once felt like bold announcements of cultural presence, they now read as personal reminders of resilience and inner worth. The music radiates warm...