Shucked

Shucked
The Playbill for the show's run at the Nederlander Theatre. (Photo: Playbill)
Parade appearances	2023
Float appearance	Harvest in the Valley by Green Giant
Performance	"Corn" and "Independently Owned"

Shucked is a musical comedy directed by Jack O’Brien, with a book by Robert Horn and music and lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. The show takes place in the rural town of Cob County, whose livelihood is sustained by walls of corn that surround it. When the corn begins to die, it’s up to country bumpkin Maizy and her friends to venture into the big city to get help. The Broadway production began previews at the Nederlander Theatre on March 8, 2023, before opening on April 4.

It was nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Alex Newell’s portrayal of Lulu. The show closed on January 13, 2024, before launching a national tour and a feature film announcement.

History with the Macy's Parade

The Broadway cast of Shucked made its Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade debut in 2023, appropriately appearing on Green Giant’s "Harvest in the Valley" float, which features the brand’s mascot kneeling to inspect the perfect ear of corn. Cast members that appeared on the float along the route included leads Isabelle McCalla, Alex Newell, John Behlmann, Kevin Cahoon, Andrew Durand, Ashely D. Kelly, and Grey Henson.

The show's performance on NBC—running approximately four minutes in length—was one of the longest production numbers to ever be staged in the Parade's history. It began with two Storytellers introducing viewers to Cob County, its corn-tastrophe, and their eventual resolution of travelling to New York City to seek help from the notorious J.G.G.—the Baddy Green Daddy himself—the Green Giant.

Realizing they are at a Parade, the Storytellers decide to pay tribute to corn in song, introducing Lulu ("Independently Owned") and the rest of the production's ensemble in a corny (yet a-maize-ing) number that celebrated the wonders of all things corn ("Corn").