From CCM to the Cornfields: Joe Moeller returns home in Broadway hit 'Shucked'

A graduate of St. Xavier High School and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Joe Moeller spent more than a decade building a career in regional theaters before making his Broadway debut in & Juliet in 2022. Now he returns to Cincinnati in a lead role in Shucked, which runs at the Aronoff Center from Feb. 10-22. 

The Cincinnati Enquirer recently featured Moeller in a story about his career. Read more. 

Moeller (BFA Musical Theatre, '11) stars as one of two storytellers in Shucked, a Tony Award-winning musical comedy currently on its national tour. It plays as part of the Broadway in Cincinnati series at the Aronoff Center.

The role is a major milestone for the CCM Musical Theatre alum, who previously appeared largely in ensemble roles and understudy tracks. Shucked marks Moeller's first time anchoring a production with a featured, highly visible role.

Known for its rapid-fire wordplay, slapstick humor and corn-centric jokes, Shucked relies heavily on its storytellers to guide the audience through the show. Despite the understated character name, "Storyteller 2," Moeller's role is among the production's most memorable. "I thought it was the perfect role for me," Moeller said recalling his initial disappointment after not being cast when he first auditioned two years earlier.

That disappointment turned into opportunity when producers invited him to audition again in 2025. This time, Moeller landed the role and joined the national tour in Providence, Rhode Island, before bringing the show home to Cincinnati.

Moeller's journey to the stage began early. He first discovered his love of live theatre while backstage during a middle-school production of The Sound of Music at Ursuline Academy. "I was so enamored by what was happening on the stage," he told Cincinnati Enquirer. Within a year, he was performing himself and enrolled in CCM Prep, where he spent Saturdays singing, acting and dancing. Then he moved on to CCM's BFA Musical Theatre program, graduating in 2011.

Now as Shucked plays at the Aronoff Center, Moeller's return to Cincinnati represents both a professional homecoming and a reminder of the creative dedication and hard work a that often define careers in the performing arts.

Featured image at the top: Shucked Storytellers Maya Lagerstam and Joe Moeller.