Meet the Kernels’ Mr. Shucks

CEDAR RAPIDS — Adam Burnham, the man under the Mr. Shucks mask, has a real passion for theater.

“I really just like entertaining folks,” he said. “When this came along, I thought, no better way to entertain thousands of people at one time.

Burnham, a 38-year-old originally from Williamsburg, has been doing theater since he was in high school. Fifteen years ago he moved to Cedar Rapids but it didn’t stop him from continuing his ambition.

“I have worked my way into a lot of the different community theaters,” Burnham said.

He even appeared as Lonny Barnett in the Theatre Cedar Rapids production of Rock of Ages last year. This role is what inspired him to be Mr. Shucks.

“I kind of played the role of the hype man, the guy who gets everybody excited and I felt at home doing that. It felt really natural, getting people excited,” he said. “I though I want to do roles like this, hype people up, get people excited and I mean what better than Mr. Shucks?”

Although theater is what made him “jump on” the opportunity, his knack for running is what convinced him of his own capability. Over the last five years, Burnham has been running three miles every day, but more often than not, his runs would be longer.

He even ran a full marathon.

“During COVID, I thought, I can keep doing these long distances. I mean these are four, five hour runs without stopping for water or anything,” he said. “If I can do that, I can do anything.”

When he is not Mr. Shucks, Burnham works as a paraprofessional for Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids. In the past, he also has worked as a substitute paraprofessional and has worked for Linn-Mar High School.

“This is my summer gig,” he said about Mr. Shucks.

Despite it only being a “summer gig,” Burnham dedicates himself to his role.

“I do whatever I am really kind of asked, whatever direction people kind of pull me in,” he said.

Still, enjoyment isn’t the only thing that has him continue this role.

“I don’t have any plans to stop anytime soon,” said Burnham, who is in his first year in the role. “It’s keeping me young, keeping me healthy.”

Over the years, Mr. Shucks has been many different men or women. His current look was designed in 2007. The role is a commitment because Mr. Shucks is loved by adults and kids.

This season, Burnham has “kept busy keeping the crowd excited.”