Posts Tagged ‘jack o’brien’

“Shucked” at the Fox is Fun, But Maybe a Little Too Corny

Posted in St Louis Theatre, USA Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 12, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Shucked
Book by Robert Horn, Music and Lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally
Directed by Jack O’Brien
Choreographed by Sarah O’Gleby
The Fox Theatre
February 11, 2025

Danielle Wade, Miki Abraham
Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Shucked North American Tour

Shucked is all about corn, both in a literal and figurative sense. Yes, the story is about a county that depends upon its corn crop for its livelihood, but I also wonder if there’s ever been another musical that relies so heavily on goofy jokes for its appeal, especially as compensation for a relatively thin plot. Don’t read me wrong–this show is a whole lot fun, and it’s not really trying to be high art. It’s currently playing at the Fox, with a strong, energetic cast and lively production values, and unless you have no sense of humor at all, there are a lot of laughs here. I like it, but I can’t help but feel overdosed on sweetness at the end, kind of like I’ve had an overly large milkshake. It tastes good, but did I really need that many empty calories?

Sometimes, though, empty calories are just fun, and Shucked is certainly a lot of fun, even though I do keep wishing for a little more in terms of plot. What plot there is is padded out a lot with jokes that are funny, but don’t serve much purpose other than provoking more laughs. It’s a fairly simple premise, told by a pair of perky narrators (Maya Lagerstam, Tyler Joseph Ellis)–Cob County is an isolated community where all aspects of life revolve around its corn crop, which begins to die just as local couple Maizy (Danielle Wade) and Beau (Jake Odmark) are about to get married. Since nobody has ever left Cob County, the locals all object when Maizy suggests sending someone out into the outside world to find someone who may be able to help save the corn. Everyone, including Maizy’s kindly Grandpa (Kyle Sherman), Beau’s jokester brother Peanut (Mike Nappi),  and even her independent-minded entrepreneur cousin Lulu (Miki Abraham) are against Maizy’s idea, and Beau is actually insulted because Maizy doesn’t trust him to fix the corn on his own. Well, Maizy leaves anyway, ending up in the strange new world of Tampa, where she meets Gordy (Quinn Van Antwerp), who Maizy mistakes for a corn expert, and because Gordy is a con man and in a lot of debt, he goes back with her for self-serving reasons, turning on the charm all the way and convincing Maizy that’s he’s in love with her. When they get back, everyone seems on board with Gordy except for Lulu and the jealous Beau, although Lulu soon reluctantly finds herself attracted to Gordy as well. Since this is an upbeat comedy, it shouldn’t be a spoiler to say everything eventually gets worked out, but it’s all in the midst of a bunch of corny jokes and puns and some catchy tunes and production numbers. 

The cast is excellent, led by Wade in an enthusiastic, highly likable and well-sung turn as the optimistic Maizy and by Abraham as the tough-talking, enterprising Lulu, who gets perhaps the show’s best number, “Independently Owned”, turning in a great performance. Van Antwerp is also strong as Gordy, with the requisite charisma and charm, and Odmark does about as well as he can with the underwritten role of Beau. Nappi is fun as Peanut, displaying great comic timing, and although the character basically just exists to tell corny jokes, Nappi does this well. Lagerstam and Elli make for amiable, strong-voiced narrators as well, and the whole ensemble is perky, upbeat and all in on all the goofy jokes and humor. 

The show looks great visually, with a striking, versatile set by Scott Pask and bright, colorful costumes by Tilly Grimes. The lighting by Japhy Weideman and especially the clear sound by John Shivers contribute much to the overall atmosphere and energy of the proceedings. There’s also energetic dancing cleverly choreographed by Sarah O’Gleby, and a small but lively orchestra led by music director Nick Williams.

Overall, Shucked is lots of corny, upbeat fun, with a dash of raunchiness thrown into the mass of jokes from time to time. Even though there are a lot of issues someone could have with the plot if they really thought about it, this isn’t really that kind of show. It’s here to entertain, and it does that. I guess sometimes you really just want that oversized milk shake, even if it may be sweetened with a little too much corn syrup. 

Cast of Shucked
Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Shucked North American Tour

The North American Tour of Shucked is running at the Fox Theatre until February 23, 2025

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The Fox Theatre is Alive With “The Sound of Music”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, USA Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 29, 2016| Leave a Comment »

The Sound of Music
Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse
Directed by Jack O’Brien
The Fox Theatre
April 26, 2016

 

Kerstin Anderson Photo by Matthew Murphy The Sound of Music National Tour

Kerstin Anderson
Photo by Matthew Murphy
The Sound of Music National Tour

The Sound of Music is unquestionably a musical theatre classic.  Since its debut on Broadway in 1959, it has been performed in various productions around the world as well as two live television productions and, of course, the Oscar-Winning movie. I personally have seen so many productions of it that I’ve almost got the show memorized. Audiences generally know what to expect when they see this show. With the new touring production now on stage at the Fox, director Jack O’Brien has brought a good mixture of timelessness and immediacy to this time-honored show, as well as finding a promising young star to lead the cast.

Everyone knows the story, it seems. As Maria (Kerstin Anderson) finds it difficult to fit in at Nonnburg Abbey, the Mother Abbess (Melody Betts) decides the young would-be nun needs to see more of the world. So for that purpose, Maria is sent to be a governess to the seven children of lonely widower Captain Georg Von Trapp (Ben Davis), who since the death of his wife has become more of an authoritarian commander than a father to his children. Maria soon wins her way into the hearts of the children and, eventually, their father as well, despite the romantic efforts of the wealthy widow Elsa Schraeder (Teri Hansen), who also wants to marry the Captain. And then there’s the Captain’s enterprising friend Max (Merwin Foard), who hopes to recruit the children–whom Maria has taught to sing–to perform in a big music festival. And then comes the Nazi occupation of Austria, and the drama that follows.

Kerstin Anderson follows in the footsteps of many a Maria, including stage legend Mary Martin and the movie’s iconic Julie Andrews. Anderson, thankfully, doesn’t try to imitate her famous predecessors, although she has a quirkiness about her that is more comparable to Martin than to Andrews. She also has a youthful, energetic spirit and a great voice. As Maria navigates her road from the convent to the Von Trapps’ villa, Anderson visibly matures and acquires a sense of grace and poise. It’s an impressive performance, although she also occasionally tends to deliver her lines in an over-rehearsed, somewhat artificial manner. For the most part, however, she makes an excellent Maria, and she has great chemistry with Ben Davis’s charming, authoritative but increasingly boyish Von Trapp. Their love duet “Something Good” is very sweetly sung and their showcase dance charged with romantic tension. Davis also gets one of the show’s best moments when he leads his family in singing “Edelweiss” at the concert. There’s also a strong comedic performance by Foard as Max, and Betts as the Mother Abbess radiates kindness and strength, stopping the show with a soaring rendition of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”. Other standouts in the cast are Paige Silvester as a particularly rebellious eldest Von Trapp daughter, Liesl, and Svea Elizabeth Johnson as the wise, observant daughter Brigitta. The children have a good rapport with Anderson’s Maria, and all the production numbers are well-done, including the energetic “Do Re Mi” and “The Lonely Goatherd”.

Visually, the production is impressive as well. Douglas W. Schmidt’s excellent set is notable for its period authenticity and colorful painted backdrops of beautiful mountain vistas, well-lit by lighting designer Natasha Katz. The costumes by Jane Greenwood are well-crafted and suited to the characters, from the nuns’ habits to Maria’s succession of dresses that range from the frumpy to the elegant. The children’s play costumes, supposedly made by Maria from the curtains in her bedroom, are appropriately whimsical. Maria’s hairstyles also go through a believable progression throughout the production, so kudos to hair designer Tom Watson for that effect.

Overall, the tone of this production strikes a good medium between the classic and the new. There’s a sense of energy and urgency brought to the proceedings, as well as an authentic-seeming 1930’s sensibility and an “old Broadway” style without seeming too dated. It’s not trying to to overly innovative or different. It’s just trying to tell the story and tell it well, and for the most part, this iteration of The Sound of Music achieves that goal. It’s a delightful show.

Ben Davis and cast Photo by Matthew Murphy The Sound of Music National Tour

Ben Davis and cast
Photo by Matthew Murphy
The Sound of Music National Tour

The national tour of The Sound of Music is running at the Fox Theatre until May 8, 2016.

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