Jake Odmark, who plays the hunky, big-hearted leading man Beau—with a croon that’ll make you swoon—shared during the post-show Talk Back after Tuesday night’s performance of SHUCKED at the Dr. Phillips Center that his favorite moment every night is the opening number. “The audience comes in trying to figure out what they’ve gotten themselves into—and right away, they find out. Yep. It’s corn.”
But as Odmark quickly added, it’s also so much more than that. And we agree.
Yes, it’s a musical about corn. Yes, it’s hilarious. And—heartfelt, too.
Now playing through June 29, SHUCKED is Broadway’s pun-packed, sweetly self-aware, and surprisingly sincere comedy that feels like Parks and Rec took a detour through a cornfield—with songs.
The crops in Cob County are dying, and its delightfully weird residents must send one of their own beyond the cornfields (to Tampa—yes, Tampa, where “there’s always an old person in your way”) in search of help. What follows is a ridiculous corn maze of miscommunication, mistaken identity, will-they-won’t-they romance, and more jokes-per-minute than probably any musical ever. Seriously. So. Many. Jokes.
At Tuesday night’s performance, the crowd at Dr. Phillips was roaring—and for good reason. From the moment the show’s two adorably talented storytellers (played by Maya Lagerstam and Tyler Joseph Ellis—who’s built a cult following thanks to his viral “theatre kid” videos) invited us into this “farm-to-fable,” the audience was locked in and laughing.
Miki Abraham, as Lulu, brings powerhouse vocals and perfectly timed sass to every scene they’re in—but their Act I solo, “Independently Owned,” downright brought the house down. The songs are catchy, the lyrics are clever, and this cast can sing. Like, for real.
After the show, several cast members stuck around for a Talk Back and couldn’t stop raving about Orlando. If every crowd brings the kind of energy they got Tuesday night, they said, this just might be their favorite stop on tour. You hear that, Tampa!
WHEN:
June 24-29, 2025
WHERE:
Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
445 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL
TICKETS:
Starting at $55.
Student Rush tickets available 2 hours prior to showtime for $35!
Buy tickets here
GOOD TO KNOW:
- Runtime: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, including intermission
- Recommended for ages 10+ (if your kid can handle some grown-up wordplay and a few double entendres, they’ll be just fine)
- This is final show of the AdventHealth Broadway Series this season