Oscar Wilde’s Salomé is Shiveringly Good at PAIKKA

Nathan Keepers Photo by Molly Jay Photography

The new production of Oscar Wilde’s Salomé, playing at PAIKKA, isn’t just a play, it’s an experience.

To get the most out of it, when they show you the coat rack, do not avail yourself of it. Find a seat close to the action, but also as near as possible to the end of the room you entered from. A character exits and enters through an exterior door several times during the show, and depending on the weather, you’re going to want to protect yourself. If I have one criticism, it’s not the use of the door, it’s how long it’s left open. I’m not saying I believe they shouldn’t do it. I just know I wished I’d had my coat instead of sitting there in a short-sleeved T-shirt.

The discomfort is clearly intentional, and I understand the artistic reasoning. Still, a warning might have been nice. At times I found myself distracted, not only by my own chill but by concern for the actors, who occasionally had even less protection than I did. And that’s all I’ll say about that. Take the proper precautions and you’ll be free to immerse yourself in this riveting drama.

Wilde’s play tells the story of Jokanaan (John the Baptist), imprisoned in a cistern by King Herod. The production opens in a dining hall, where some audience members are seated (don’t worry, there’s no audience participation), as four servants tidy up and gossip. We quickly learn that one of them is infatuated with Princess Salomé, Herod’s stepdaughter.

When Salomé leaves the party and enters the dining hall, she hears Jokanaan’s prophetic ravings and becomes fascinated. She convinces a servant to bring him before her. She is captivated by him, and is determined to kiss his lips, but he refuses her advances and is returned to his prison. Soon Herod and his wife, Herodias, enter. It becomes disturbingly clear that Herod harbors an inappropriate fascination with his stepdaughter. He promises Salomé anything she desires if she will dance for him. She agrees, and when she names her price, he desperately attempts to dissuade her.

Director Grant Sorenson eschews traditional theatrical forms, creating something immediate, immersive, and visceral. From my seat at one of the tables, it felt like front row theater in the most literal sense, which as faithful readers know, is my preferred vantage point. The action unfolds between two long banquet tables, with audiences seated along the outside edges and in rows lining the walls. The performers use the entire space, moving from one end of the room to the other and even through both doors. At times, the actors are directly between the tables and the audience, eliminating any sense of distance.

The performances are uniformly strong. Ani Tonoyan, in a dazzling silver gown, makes Salomé both seductive and calculating. Emily Gunyou Halaas brings a grounded realism to Herodias, watchful and keenly aware of her husband’s wandering eye. Logan Lang’s Jokanaan is ferocious, a prophet teetering between divine inspiration and madness, with bursts of physical intensity that are genuinely startling.

But it is Nathan Keepers as Herod who steals the show. His performance is layered with pointed allusions to Trump, funny, unsettling, and chillingly recognizable. He prowls the dining hall, ranting and rambling, his obsession with his stepdaughter rendered both grotesque and darkly comic. Whether you see the parallels immediately or gradually, the effect is undeniable. It’s a bold and captivating performance.

The ensemble of servants is equally compelling, and the presence of Stages of MN Must-See Lister, Stephanie Kahle, alone is reason enough to attend.

Salomé runs just two weekends ending February 28th. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.salomempls.com/

Watch the 2025 TCTB Awards on the one of the latest episode of The Stages of MN YouTube Show!! https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp25YouTube

Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the weekly Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

Les Misérables Continues to Stun and Captivate at the Orpheum Theatre

Lindsay Heather Pearce as Fantine Photo by Matthew Murphy

This is my fourth journey to post-revolutionary France with Les Misérables and, remarkably, my fourth time seeing this touring production at the Orpheum Theatre. The first was in 2018, before The Stages of MN’s time. At a time when I’m trying to scale back on the number of shows I attend so I can focus on producing episodes of the YouTube show, repeat viewings are usually the first to go. For example, although I enjoyed Kimberly Akimbo when it played The Orpheum Theatre last year I decided to skip it at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts this month.

But when it comes to Les Misérables, there are shows you can miss… and shows you simply don’t. You can probably guess where this one falls. Even though it was here just over a year ago, I signed up without hesitation. And when it returns in a few years (fingers crossed), I’ll be there again.

Once more, I was completely swept up in the overwhelming beauty of this production. With its magnificent cast and painterly production design, every scene glowing as though lifted from a Rembrandt painting, the show remains one of the most breathtaking theatrical experiences around. Inarguably among the greatest musicals of the late 20th century, it pairs music by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, adapted from the novel by Victor Hugo. Nearly three hours long, it never wastes a moment. Every lyric, every musical phrase, propels the story forward. No matter how many times I see it, I remain riveted from beginning to end.

Set in early 19th century France, Les Misérables follows Jean Valjean, imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s child. Upon his release, he discovers that freedom does not mean acceptance. Shunned and desperate, he is taken in by a Bishop who offers him food and shelter. When Valjean steals silver from him and is caught, the Bishop claims it was a gift, granting him a second chance. In that moment of grace, Valjean resolves to remake his life.

Years later, he has become a factory owner and mayor. There we meet Fantine, unjustly dismissed and forced into a tragic downward spiral to support her daughter, Cosette. Meanwhile, the relentless Inspector Javert begins to suspect Valjean’s true identity. The narrative spans years, weaving together love, sacrifice, political unrest, and redemption, culminating in the Paris student uprising. Though epic in scope, the storytelling is remarkably clear. And while the events can sound relentlessly bleak, the overall effect is anything but. It is uplifting, powerful, and wonderous.

Opening night featured numerous understudies, something I might not have realized had I not been told. Randy Jeter stepped in as Jean Valjean, a role I had previously seen performed by Nick Cartell. Jeter more than did the part justice. While he may not have had quite the same upper-register strength as Cartell, his performance was emotionally grounded and vocally assured.

Lindsay Heather Pearce delivered a heartbreaking “I Dreamed a Dream,” letting Fantine’s despair seep into every note. Jaedynn Latter’s Eponine was another standout. If Valjean is the show’s conscience, Eponine is its heart. Her “On My Own” was so moving it briefly makes you question whether Marius truly belongs with Cosette. Hayden Tee’s Javert was vocally powerful and dramatically nuanced, his final scene eliciting audible gasps. Even on my fourth viewing, I still can’t quite figure out how that moment is staged. Kyle Adams, stepping into the role of Thénardier, provided comic relief alongside Victoria Huston-Elem’s Madame Thénardier, though Adams doesn’t quite eclipse previous performance by Matt Crowle who I saw last time and whom he was understudying for tonight. Still, their timing offered welcome levity amid the drama.

The production design, everything from the sets to the lighting, projections, and costumes, creates one of the most beautiful shows I’ve ever encountered. On one side of the stage there’s a doorway; on the other, a stone archway. Those elements remain constant. Throughout the play, the sides push out to varying degrees and, somehow, these two openings come to look like entirely new structures. It’s a fascinatingly versatile set, large, impressive, and solid-looking, yet able to flow, change, and reconfigure with remarkable fluidity.

Set and image design is by Matt Kinley, inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. Lighting designer Paule Constable doesn’t merely illuminate the stage, she paints with light. There’s such a seamless melding of physical set and lighting design, and it’s through the marriage of these two art forms that the show achieves its painterly aesthetic. And yes, when set and lighting design look this good, it is absolutely an art form.

Projections by Finn Ross and Fifty-Nine Productions are used sparingly and effectively, enhancing rather than overwhelming the physical scenery. As someone often wary of excessive projection, I found this production a reminder of how breathtaking the medium can be when used judiciously.

Les Misérables runs through February 22 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis. For tickets and more information, visit hennepinarts.org.

Watch the 2025 TCTB Awards on the one of the latest episode of The Stages of MN YouTube Show!! https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp25YouTube

Whoosh! Finally Washes Up, But Not Out at History Theatre

(Foreground) Andrew Erskine Wheeler. (background) Danny Diamond, Brian Miller Photo by Rick Spaulding

They say good things come in threes, or is that deaths? Maybe it’s both. My point, and I may actually have one, we’ll get to in a bit. But first let me give you a little history of my experience with Whoosh!, which seems appropriate considering it deals with history and even more obviously it is playing at the History Theatre.

It was the 2022 Minnesota Fringe Festival, my first Fringe festival if you want all the sordid details. I was a fresh faced blogger wandering the festival, inexperienced in its worldly ways, and in that hotbed of creativity it seemed anything was possible. On day 9, I first encountered Andrew Erskine Wheeler’s Whoosh! and I awarded it The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award, back when that award meant even less than it does today.

That first incarnation was a fast-paced whirlwind that left the audience stunned and Wheeler dripping with perspiration. It also had the irresponsibly long title Whoosh! The Civil War Mythology of Michael Hickey and His Perilous Precipitation Over St. Anthony Falls!

At the 2023 Fringe Festival, I found myself standing in line with Wheeler. Recognizing him, I worked up the nerve to tell him how much my wife and I had enjoyed Whoosh! The Civil War Mythology of Michael Hickey and His Perilous Precipitation Over St. Anthony Falls! the previous year. Once I caught my breath (one should always practice saying that title at home before attempting it in public, you need to figure out where to take breaths). Wheeler, clearly having experienced this before with others, helped steady me and suggested I put my head between my knees until I felt like I could stand without passing out. Once the oxygen returned, he told me they were remounting Whoosh! later that month at the Mill City Museum. Naturally, I secured tickets for my wife, our daughter, one of her friends, and myself, and then shared the news with you faithful readers.

That version was longer, fleshed out the story, and added live musical accompaniment. It lost the high-wire intensity of the original’s breakneck 50-minute pace, where a thousand and one props and costume changes had to happen with surgical precision. But what we gained was depth. It wasn’t better or worse, just different. A zero-sum trade that pointed the way forward. I remember saying to someone at the time, it may have been my friend and fellow Twin Cities Theater Blogger Erica Skarohlid, who is also the Marketing Director at History Theatre, that this would be a perfect show for the History Theatre.

Which brings us to my third experience, now with the more health conscious title simply Whoosh! (still with the exclamation point, so you know it’s exciting). If I had a coherent point about things coming in threes, this is where it would all make sense. Or not. The real point is this: I’ve loved this show in every incarnation, but this one is the best.

By adding another 45 minutes, any sense of sacrificing the original’s momentum is gone. Instead, Whoosh! has fully graduated into what it always wanted to be. What began as a one-man tour-de-force packed with props has become a brilliantly designed, full length production that dazzles on every level.

Wheeler still delivers a masterclass performance, more than enough to captivate the audience all on its own. Everything added here only enriches what he does, nothing competes with him, it all supports him.

Whoosh! isn’t a musical, but music is now integral to its identity. The show is accompanied by Northern Shores which consists of Danny Diamond and Brian Miller, who perform traditional Irish acoustic music, sing, and even accompany Wheeler when he breaks into song, all in character.

That character is Michael Hickey, an Irish immigrant who arrives in America in the mid-1800s to join his older brother. They work as loggers before enlisting to fight in the Civil War. Hickey tells his story by leaping through time, always circling the infamous moment, the one where he becomes the only person to ever go over St. Anthony Falls and live. But this version makes it clear: the show is about far more than that moment. We gain a rich understanding of Hickey’s relationships, the war, his commanding officer, his struggles with alcohol, and the cultural forces shaping his life. And after the curtain call, a final revelation deepens those connections even further. The result is a beautifully intricate, emotionally resonant tapestry.

As with every iteration, the show is directed by Stages of MN favorite Allison Vincent, who opens the piece onto a broader canvas while never letting the focus drift from Wheeler. Every production addition serves the story, whether heightening spectacle or sharpening a joke.

And yes, that trip over the falls. This is the most significant new element, transforming a spectacular historical event into a truly spectacular theatrical moment. I won’t spoil it. Just know that every technical element here represents the best possible version of itself.

Erik Paulson’s multi-level set design marks a dramatic evolution from the original black box space, fluidly transforming into forests, battlefields, and the falls themselves. Brant Miller’s video design both establishes location and supports Hickey’s pointed commentary on cultural bias. Tony Stoeri’s lighting, Richard Graham’s sound design, Kirby Moore’s properties, and Mandi Johnson’s costumes are flawless, each contributing to a unified vision and a singular theatrical experience.

Whoosh! runs through February 22nd at History Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.historytheatre.com/2025-2026/whoosh

Watch the 2025 TCTB Awards on the latest episode of The Stages of MN YouTube Show!! https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp25YouTube

How to Catch Creation Captured My Heart, See it Before it Ends on 2/8 at Theatre in the Round

Tia Tanzer and Duck Washington Photo by Aaron Mark Photo Film

Third time’s the charm, as the saying goes. This was my third attempt to see How to Catch Creation. I was originally scheduled to attend on January 17, 2026, but changed my plans in anticipation of a far-right wing protest slated to end in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood that Theatre in the Round calls home. I rescheduled for Friday, January 23, but that performance was canceled in observance of the statewide general strike. I almost cut my losses and accepted that I simply wasn’t going to see it.

But I kind of love Theatre in the Round, and earlier this season, for the first time in probably a decade, I had missed their annual Agatha Christie play when my stepmom passed away. I didn’t want to miss another show. And my God, am I glad I didn’t. The production is only running one more week, closing on February 8th. If you can make it to one of the remaining performances, I highly recommend you do so.

Mary Cannon Photo by Aaron Mark Photo Film

I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting going in. I had read the synopsis on the theatre’s website, but it didn’t really sink in, because this play wasn’t what I expected at all, and it’s unlike anything else I’ve ever seen at Theatre in the Round. I think it’s representative of the changes we’ve seen at TRP over the last several years, particularly since the arrival of their current Executive Director, Larisa Netterlund. We’ve seen more risks being taken. I’m not sure the audience has fully caught up with what’s happening at TRP yet, but I hope word spreads and programming like this continues.

How to Catch Creation, by Christina Anderson, weaves together the lives of six characters in San Francisco, four in 2014 and two in 1966–67. Griffin, a man recently released from prison after spending 25 years incarcerated following a wrongful conviction, reconnects with his best friend Tami, a painter who runs an art school. Both are in their mid-forties. They each come into contact with one half of a younger couple in their mid-twenties: Stokes, a painter, and his girlfriend Riley, a computer programmer.

Tia Tanzer and Izzy Maxwell Photo by Aaron Mark Photo Film

Tami and Riley meet when Riley confronts her about why Stokes’ application to her school was rejected. Griffin and Stokes bond in a park over their shared love of the work of Black feminist author G.K. Marche. We also see Marche and her partner Natalie in the 1960s, and events in that timeline echo powerfully in the present-day story.

I think I expected this play to be about the creative process, but that turns out to be only a small part of it. It’s about the desire to create: Stokes wants to paint, then write a novel; Tami wants to paint; G.K. writes; even Griffin longs to create a new life. But what the play is really about is connection, the heartaches, sacrifices, joys, the need to be seen and heard, and the desire to reach out to another human being, whether for friendship or for love.

Duck Washington and Noah Branch Photo by Aaron Mark Photo Film

The cast features Duck Washington, a Stages of MN favorite, as Griffin. Washington brings an almost Zen quality to the role, creating a portrait of a man who long ago made peace with the inequities of life. His calm and openness make Stokes’ desire to seek out his advice mirror our own. Lyreshia Ghostlon-Green, the only other performer I was familiar with going in, plays Natalie in a role punctuated by moments of fairly intense, at least for Theatre in the Round, sexuality.

The rest of the cast was new to me, but I sincerely hope they appear in many future productions, because they are all terrific. This play contains conflict and even betrayal, but there isn’t a single character you don’t like. That’s certainly a testament to Anderson’s writing, but it’s also a credit to the performers. Every one of them creates a character you care about, whose longings and struggles you internalize. I found myself unexpectedly tearing up in the final moments. Faithful readers know that’s not entirely unusual for me, but the way it crept up on me surprised me and revealed just how deeply these six characters had seeped into my heart.

Mary Cannon and Lyreshia Ghostlon-Green Photo by Aaron Mark Photo Film

I was going to name my favorites among the performers who were new to me, and then realized I’d be listing all of them. So here they are: Tia Tanzer as Tami, Izzy Maxwell as Riley, Noah Branch as Stokes, Mary Cannon as G.K. Marche, and Abdoulie Ceesay, who appears briefly in a non-speaking role just before intermission and then vanishes until curtain call. (What play does that?) It’s wild, but his role is deeply consequential, and while you don’t see him for long, you do see more of him than the other performers.

I also want to give major props to Director Vanessa Brooke Agnes and Set Designer Kejia Yu for making this tapestry of stories flow so seamlessly. There are a lot of scenes in this play, which often leads to clunky transitions and broken momentum. Here, the storytelling never pauses. Locations shift fluidly with the introduction of a prop or a performer. Sometimes scenes from different timelines unfold simultaneously. It feels organic and effortless, when in reality it’s the result of precise writing and incredibly thoughtful execution by everyone onstage and backstage.

Lastly, a note on Jacourtney Mountain-Bluhm’s costumes, sometimes in a show like this even though it takes place over the course of months, the actors find themselves wearing the same costumes in about every scene. Not here, it feels like there is a new costume for every scene and as I mentioned, there are a lot of scenes! I don’t usually notice costumes that much, but I noticed and appreciated the effort.

How to Catch Creation runs through February 8 at Theatre in the Round. I urge you to see it before it closes. This is a deeply satisfying play, brought to life by a cast of mostly unfamiliar but thoroughly compelling performers.

For more information and tickets, visit:
https://www.theatreintheround.org/howtocatchcreation/

Watch the 2025 TCTB Awards on the latest episode of The Stages of MN YouTube Show!! https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp25YouTube

Chicago Gives Us That ol’ Razzle Dazzle at the Orpheum

Ellie Roddy as Roxie Hart in “*Me And Me Baby*” Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Chicago wowed the audience with great songs, a lively band, and fantastic dancing, but with a message that feels a little too close for comfort these days. The premise of Chicago is all about getting murderers acquitted by manipulating the truth and selling the narrative you want the jury and the public to believe. Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly are two such murderesses, represented by the razzle dazzle lawyer Billy Flynn. Flynn bends reality with ease, shaping public opinion and engineering the verdict he wants for his clients. A not-guilty ruling can be yours for the low, low price of $5,000!

Now, this is set in the 1920s, so I assume the price has gone up. You’d have to check with the current administration to know what it costs these days, but hey, you might get the added bonus of having your victim declared an enemy of the state.

Rather than get bogged down in the unfortunate resemblance to the moral cesspit we currently find ourselves wading through, I found the best strategy was to disengage from the story and focus on the music and dancing, which are superb. Once I made that mental shift, the show became much easier (and more enjoyable) to take in.

Ellie Roddy and Claire Marshall, as Roxie and Velma, are terrific across the board: strong performances, solid vocals, and excellent dancing. But the choreography truly comes alive when the full ensemble is onstage. Moving together, they function like a beautifully oiled, complex machine, fluid, precise, and endlessly stylish. The choreography credits are… complicated. The program lists Bob Fosse as the original director and choreographer, Gregory Butler for the re-creation of the original choreography, and Ann Reinking for the original New York production choreography, “in the style of Bob Fosse.” Whoever deserves the final bow, the result is sharp, iconic, and a real pleasure to watch. It’s also a testament to the athleticism of these performers that they can sing and dance at this level for so long.

Max Cervantes, as Billy Flynn, has a moment where he holds a note for what the audience seem to feel was impressive. I’ll tell you what though, you want to see the holding of a note beyond what you think is possible? Get yourself out to Artistry in Bloomington t o see Kiss Me, Kate where John-Michael Zuerlein holds a note which seemed to go on at least twice as long. Which is also to say don’t forget to also support your local theaters, that’s another classic musical running now that is filled with greta dancing!

Another standout, and a clear audience favorite, was Marc Christopher as Roxie’s long-suffering husband Amos. It’s a classic comic relief role, and Christopher absolutely nails it, especially in the show’s emotional bullseye, “Mister Cellophane.”

The show is packed with iconic songs, beautifully backed by the Chicago orchestra under the musical direction of Andy Chen. Go for the music. Go for the dancing. And if the story feels a little too real right now, feel free to tune that part out. There’s more than enough spectacle and talent on display to make the trip worthwhile regardless.

Chicago runs through February 1st at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis.
For more information and tickets, visit:
https://hennepinarts.org/events/chicago

Watch the 2025 TCTB Awards on the latest episode of The Stages of MN YouTube Show!! https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp25YouTube

Tubthumping Thursday is a Comedy Grab Bag Of Improv Hilarity at Bryant Lake Bowl Theater

On Monday, I caught one of my favorite improv shows, Off Book, at the Jungle Theater. If you’ve never seen it, their next show is March 2, and I highly recommend it. Off Book pairs actors who have memorized a script with improvisers who have absolutely no idea what the script is. Without fail, hilarity ensues. What does that have to do with Tubthumping Thursday? Well, one of the actors in Monday’s performance was Nissa Nordland, who happens to be one half of the Twin Cities improv duo Bury the Leads. Bury the Leads made up one-third of the bill at this month’s Tubthumping Thursday at Bryant Lake Bowl Theater.

This was my first time attending Tubthumping Thursday, a monthly comedy cabaret hosted by Cameron Cylkowski, who also performs with the group Secret Neighbors. The third act on the bill was Police Cop Detective PI. With the demise of Huge Theater a year ago, it’s been great to see other venues step up and make space for the wide variety of improvisers in the Twin Cities.

I won’t lie, I came to Tubthumping Thursday to see The Stages of MN favorites Nissa Nordland and Sam Landman. Their ongoing series (which they hope to eventually expand into an online show) centers on a pair of character actors named Clyde & Faye. Each performance offers another glimpse into the lives of these “not-the-leads” and their quest to finally land the part. As anyone familiar with Nordland and Landman’s work would expect, it’s excellent. They take audience suggestions and incorporate them into a scenario, in this case, being cast as the best friends of the main characters and required to film a sex scene together. Nordland and Landman keep things relatively clean, though a quick Google search of the audience suggestions tells a much filthier story.

What makes this series so compelling is the ongoing character development. At the end of this episode, because “episode” really feels like the right word, there seemed to be a spark between longtime friends Clyde and Faye. Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer before it, we may come for the jokes, but we stay for the character arcs and emotional bullseyes.

Secret Neighbors performed as a quartet led by Cylkowski, fellow company members include Courtney Miller, Cat Wright, Elizabeth Dunn, and Sean Yahn. After asking the audience a few opening questions, they spun those details into a series of funny situations and delightful tangents. Police Cop Detective PI, featuring Adam Fielitz and John Haynes, played cop partners on a stakeout. Both groups were excellent, and I’d happily check out any improv show featuring either of them on the bill.

Keep an eye out for all the unique and adventurous theater happening at Bryant Lake Bowl Theater by visiting https://www.bryantlakebowl.com/theater and subscribing to their newsletter. I always recommend arriving when the doors open,one hour before showtime, to snag a good seat and order dinner and a drink (or two). The food is great, and the beverage selection includes solid non-alcoholic options as well.

You can follow Bury the Leads on facebook to find out when and where they perform next, I do!

Watch the 2025 TCTB Awards on the latest episode of The Stages of MN YouTube Show!! https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp25YouTube

SHUCKED Is Hilarious Proof That Corn Can Be Sexy And Extremely Stupid at The Orpheum

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

SHUCKED, the original Broadway musical that garnered nine Tony Award nominations in 2023, is a show that feels tailor-made for Twin Cities audiences. I went in knowing almost nothing, just that it involved corn, and I assumed it would be silly. What I didn’t expect was how raunchy it would be at times, or how consistently it would land its jokes. To give you some point of reference think Hee Haw after dark mixed with The Simpsons and that will get you close to the tone of the show.

To give you a reference point: imagine an R-rated version of Hee Haw and you’ll be pretty close. Much of the humor falls squarely into the “it’s so dumb it’s clever” category—nonstop wordplay groaners that somehow make you laugh while you’re rolling your eyes. The jokes come at you about a mile a minute. Then the show pulls off a real surprise: the songs aren’t just funny, they’re genuinely good, and they’re performed by a very talented cast. The result is a musical that’s funny, upbeat, delightfully silly, and more than a little raunchy at times. I was honestly surprised by just how much fun I had with this unapologetically corny show packed with songs that really pop.

The story is narrated by two storytellers who guide us through the action with songs and an endless stream of one-liners. The setting is Cob County, a place so devoted to corn that it has literally walled itself off from the rest of the world with corn. No one ever leaves, and no one outside seems to know it exists. On the day of Maizy and Beau’s wedding, just before the vows, the unthinkable happens: the corn begins to die on the stalks. Since corn is everything in Cob County, the wedding is put on hold until the cause of the corntastrophe can be discovered. Against Beau’s wishes Maizy ventures into the outside world for help. She ends up in Tampa, Florida, where she mistakenly believes a podiatrist named Gordy, who advertises himself as a “corn doctor”, can save her town. Gordy is a con man (though not a particularly good one) who realizes the stones in Maizy’s bracelet are valuable and decides to tag along to Cob County under the pretense of saving the corn, while secretly planning to steal the jewels to pay off his mob debts. Romance, betrayal, broken engagements, and new ones ensue, with Lulu (Maizy’s cousin) and Peanut (Beau’s brother) along for the ride providing commentary, chaos, and some of the show’s biggest laughs.

Danielle Wade is the engine of the show as Maizy. She has a wonderfully distinctive voice, part Southern twang, part Bonnie Tyler rasp, with real raw power behind it. Her unique sound and along with her spunky performance are spot on for the character she’s playing. Nick Bailey gives a stellar vocal performance as Beau, nailing songs that feel like classic rock power ballads. There may very likely be country music comparisons that are more apt, but not being at all versed on country music, or really any contemporary music to be truthful, those would be lost on me.

Miki Abraham is fantastic as Lulu, stopping the show with “Independently Owned,” a number that feels closest to traditional musical theater while still delivering sharp, funny commentary on self-reliance and empowerment. Mike Nappi provides pure comic joy as Peanut, the lovable idiot brother, very much in the spirit of those old Hee Haw cutaway jokes. Our narrators are played by Maya Lagerstam, a graduate of the UMN/Guthrie BFA program and Joe Moeller. Their engaging presence guides us through the narrative with wit, and knowing nods to the audience.

Local audiences are going to recognize and appreciate every layer of the humor here: the rural jokes, the meta commentary, and the sly nods to modern politics and culture. With a top-notch cast delivering big laughs, strong vocals, and genuinely smart silliness, SHUCKED proves that being corny can be a virtue.

SHUCKED runs through January 11th at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://hennepinarts.org/events/shucked

Watch for the 2025 TCTB Awards to be announced on the next episode of The Stages of MN YouTube Show!!