Just this month it was announced that the musical Shucked would be “harvesting its crop” on Broadway where it’s currently playing at the Neederlander Theatre. The show about the power of love, corn and what grows when you truly step into who you are will play until January 14.
“But it’s not goodbye; it’s to be ‘corn-tinued!’….with other engagements,” wrote the producers in a statement. The show continues with a North American “Kernels Tour” that begins fall, 2024. There’s also productions at London’s West End at a Cameron Mackintosh theater in winter, 2025, and Sydney, Australia during Spring, 2026, with producing partner Suzanne Jones.
With a book by Robert Horn, a score from Nashville superstars Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, and directed by Jack O’Brien Shucked stars John Behlmann, Kevin Cahoon, Andrew Durand, Grey Henson, Ashley D. Kelley, Isabelle McCalla and Alex Newell.
Playing Lulu, the ferociously self-reliant whisky distiller, Newell brings down the house belting the song “Independently Owned.” Call it the church of Alex because this performance is a spiritual experience. As the lyrics to this anthem of self reliance go:
“I’m independеntly owned and complicated/And, no, I don’t need a man to feel emancipatеd/The boys ’round here sure ain’t much help/This corn ain’t gonna shuck itself/There might be someone that I ain’t met yet/And no disrespect to Miss Tammy Wynette/I can’t stand by my man, he’ll have to stand by me, oh.”
When Alex Newell won a Tony Award the actor made history as the first nonbinary person to win in the acting category. During Newell’s acceptance speech the actor said, “thank you for seeing me, Broadway. I should not be up here as a queer, nonbinary, fat, Black little baby from Massachusetts. And to anyone that thinks that they can’t do it, I’m going to look you dead in your face. That you can do anything you put your mind to.”
Some of Newell’s other credits include playing Unique Adams on Glee, Mo on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and belting up a storm as Asaka in Once on This Island on Broadway. Yet all the success has been hard earned, especially when there were doubters.
“I had a teacher say that my work ethic wouldn’t amount to much and I wouldn’t be successful,” said Newell after winning a Drama Desk Award for playing Lulu in Shucked. In fact, Newell began to believe the teacher when auditioning for colleges. “I got rejection letter after rejection letter after rejection letter,” says Newell. “ I didn’t think that I would ever get this. So to get here now is a brilliant thing.”
Jeryl Brunner: When you sing “Independently Owned” in Shucked, the audience goes bonkers. In the midst of you singing, they give you a standing ovation. What is that like for you?
Alex Newell: Crazy. I’m singing for three minutes and just trying to catch my breath in that moment. I’m holding that note till the cows come home. It’s lovely having that visceral response. One of the things about my career is that I want people to feel things when I sing. I don’t want you to think that it is just pretty or sounds good. I want to offer something cathartic, that makes you think about something. And to have that is so beautiful.
Brunner: In your Drama Desk acceptance speech you talked about the teacher who said you wouldn’t amount to much. and you took on those feelings. What kept you going?
Newell: I believe the work started to speak for itself. And I just never gave up. I knew I wanted it and I had to get it.
Brunner: Why was it cool to win a Drama Desk Award?
Newell: Because, it’s being seen. And especially this year, when we’ve gotten rid of the gender categories. [In 2023, the Drama Desk updated its categories to be gender-free.] It’s beautiful because it’s making space for people like me and saying that we’re just as talented as anybody else.
Brunner: What went though your mind when hen you learned about Shucked?
Newell: I was sitting on my couch eating chips and someone sent me a text message writing, “Hey, do you want to do be on Broadway in the spring?” And I wrote, “ send it to me.” I fell in love with it. Robert Horn, excuse my French, is fu#ki#g genius. His writing is so brilliant and pinpoint sharp. I am grateful for it.
Brunner: And what do you love about Lulu?
Newell: She reminds me so much of myself along with any southern woman. My mother and father are both from Alabama. So it’s nice to have that whip smart, entity around all the time.
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