The North American tour of the Tony Award-winning musical comedy “Shucked” comes to Detroit Dec. 23 to Jan. 4 at the Fisher Theater, 3011 W. Grand Blvd. For tickets and more information, go to BroadwayInDetroit.com.
The North American tour of the Tony Award-winning musical comedy “Shucked” comes to Detroit Dec. 23 to Jan. 4 at the Fisher Theater, 3011 W. Grand Blvd.
The show, billed as a “farm-to-fable” musical comedy, focuses on a small, isolated town, Cob County, whose prize corn crop is dying, and a young woman who seeks help from a big city expert who might help them or cause more problems.
It features original country-infused songs by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally which blend musical theater with country music, and a clever book by Robert Horn.
The show is filled with corny jokes and puns and tugs on the heartstrings. It was originally inspired by a segment from the television show “Hee Haw.”
The story begins as Maizy and Beau are planning their wedding, but they postpone it when the town’s corn crop mysteriously starts dying.
Maizy decides to fly to a big city to consult a specialist, and mistakenly finds a con artist podiatrist, Gordy, who bills himself as a “corn doctor.”
Gordy agrees to travel to Cob County, and he thinks that he might be able to charm Maizy out of a bracelet she wears that he thinks might be valuable and allow him to pay off some urgent debts he owes to the mob. He starts to romance her, and she kisses him, despite being betrothed to Beau.
Back home, Maizy confesses her indiscretion to Beau, who is furious and breaks off their engagement.
Meanwhile, Gordy flirts with Lulu, the town’s whiskey distiller, but she initially rebukes him.
Gordy tells Maizy her bracelet is killing the corn, so he plans to remove it from the town and sell it for his own personal gain. However, when Gordy goes down on one knee, Maizy thinks he is proposing to her.
Maizy still has feelings for Beau, and Lulu and Gordy find their attraction for each other is growing.
Then men in town get Gordy drunk, and he spills the beans about his nefarious plan.
Maizy and Beau are reunited, and Gordy and Lulu follow their hearts.
The songs include a country-show tune mix, including the clever “Independently Owned,” which is sung by Maizy to highlight her independence; the charming love ballad “Maybe Love;” the central, humorous song “Corn,” which focuses on the town’s reliance on their cash crop; the character-driven “Somebody Will” about finding love; and the quirky “Woman of the World,” which explains the town’s unique perspective.
The songs from “Shucked” capture the show’s humor and heart with a country music style.
Show times are 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23, 26, 27 and 30, and Jan. 2 and 3, and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 28 and Jan. 4, with 1 p.m. Dec. 24, 28 and 31 and Jan. 4 and 2 p.m. Dec. 26 and 27 and Jan. 2 and 3 matinees.
For tickets or more information, go to BroadwayInDetroit.com.