Kimberly Akimbo (musical)

Kimberly Akimbo is a 2021 musical with music by Jeanine

Tesori, and lyrics and book by David Lindsay-Abaire. It is Kimberly Akimbo
based on Lindsay-Abaire's 2001 comedy of the same name.

The show tells the story of a lonely teenage girl, Kimberly

Levaco, who suffers from a condition similar to progeria that
causes her to age rapidly, thereby giving her the appearance of
an elderly woman, and how, according to Playbill, "[f]orced to
maneuver family secrets, borderline personalities, and possible
felony charges, Kim is determined to find happiness in a world
where not even time is on her side."[1]

The show's premiere production opened Off-Broadway on

December 8, 2021, at the Linda Gross Theater in Manhattan; it
Broadway promotional poster
was critically acclaimed, with the performances of Victoria
Clark, Justin Cooley, and Bonnie Milligan, Lindsay-Abaire's Music Jeanine Tesori
book and lyrics, and Tesori's score all receiving praise. The off- Lyrics David Lindsay-Abaire
Broadway production won Best Musical prizes at the Drama
Desk, Lucille Lortel, and Outer Critics Circle Awards. Book David Lindsay-Abaire
Basis Kimberly Akimbo
The show then moved to Broadway, opening at the Booth by David Lindsay-
Theatre on November 9, 2022 (with previews beginning on
Abaire
October 12). The Broadway production also received critical
acclaim, winning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Premiere November 6, 2021:
Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Leading Linda Gross Theater
Actress in a Musical (Victoria Clark), and Best Featured Productions 2021 Off-Broadway
Actress in a Musical (Bonnie Milligan). 2022 Broadway
Awards Tony Award for Best
Background Musical
Tony Award for Best
Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire's comedy Kimberly Akimbo Book of a Musical
made its premiere in 2001, at the South Coast Repertory in
Tony Award for Best
Costa Mesa, California; it eventually moved Off-Broadway in
Original Score
2003, at the Manhattan Theatre Club, in a production
featuring Marylouise Burke, John Gallagher, Jr., and Ana
Gasteyer.[2]

Lindsay-Abaire's other plays include Fuddy Meers (1999), Good People (2011), and Rabbit Hole
(2006), for which he won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Jeanine Tesori has written the music
for stage musicals such as Thoroughly Modern Millie (2000), Caroline, or Change (2003), Shrek
the Musical (2008), and Fun Home (2013); she has also been twice nominated for the Pulitzer
Prize for Drama, for Fun Home and Soft Power (2018). Lindsay-Abaire and Tesori had previously
worked together on Shrek the Musical.

Synopsis

Act l

At an ice skating rink named "Skater Planet" in Bergen County, New Jersey, six teenagers–
Kimberly Levaco, Seth Weetis, Martin Doaty, Aaron Puckett, Teresa Benton, and Delia McDaniels–
express their frustrations. Kim is the new girl in town, with a disease that makes her age four and a
half times as fast as normal, and a dream of visiting Six Flags Great Adventure. Seth, an employee
at the rink, feels like a misfit. The four others are all pining for another member of their friend
group unrequitedly (Martin for Aaron, Aaron for Delia, Delia for Teresa, and Teresa for Martin).
All the teens feel as if they don't fit in, and express their desire to "be seen" ("Skater Planet"). Kim’s
frequently drunk father Buddy is over three hours late picking her up, Kimberly gives him a
thermos filled with coffee to sober up. Seth comes back to the rink for his tuba, which he had left
inside. He asks Kim to be his partner for an upcoming biology project, and says that they could do
it about her disease. Buddy retorts and says that Kimberly is researching glaucoma, and insults
Seth behind his back. Buddy tells Kimberly to tell her mother, Pattie, that they were late due to car
troubles. At the Levacos’ home, Pattie, pregnant and with casts on both arms, creates a video for
her yet-to-be-born baby ("Hello, Darling"). When Buddy and Kim arrive home, Pattie chastises
Buddy for their lateness and his drunkenness, which leads to an argument in which both parents
end up having to give quarters to the family "swear jar". Buddy suggests that if they save up enough
in the swear jar, they could go on a road trip, which Pattie quickly shoots down. It is also
established that the family is trying to keep secret the fact that they're from Lodi, New Jersey. In
her room, Kimberly writes a letter to the Make A Wish Foundation, requesting a treehouse after
going back and forth between an array of wishes ("Make A Wish").

At school, Martin, Aaron, Delia, and Teresa make plans for a Dreamgirls mashup for their school
show choir, one that will compete with their rival West Orange's Evita mashup. They reaffirm their
problems with unrequited love ("Skater Planet (reprise #1)"). The group then plans on purchasing
classic show choir outfits (blue dresses for the girls and turquoise suits for the boys). Kimberly
agrees to be Seth's partner for the biology project, and to use her disease as their topic. Delia
invites Teresa to Skater Planet, but Teresa wants to invite Martin. This results in all four members
of the friend group agreeing to go to Skater Planet, after Martin invites Aaron. In the library, while
studying for their project, Seth creates an anagram of Kim's name, "Cleverly Akimbo". She realizes
that she likes him ("Anagram"). Debra, Kim's criminal aunt, shows up and makes crude jokes. She
reveals that she has been sleeping in the school library, waiting to find Kimberly. The Levaco
family moved from Lodi in a manner that made it difficult for Debra to find them, which was
intentional. Debra tells Kim about an exciting new opportunity to make a lot of money, and that it
is only "slightly illegal". Debra also tries to convince Martin, Aaron, Delia, and Teresa to help out
("Better"). Kim agrees, but only if she gets a say in the plan, and only if Debra agrees that nobody
will get hurt. Debra is ecstatic, and tells Kimberly to leave the window and door unlocked at her
house.

Around midnight, at the house, Kim goes to unlock the door, but is caught by Pattie, who is awake
because of the baby's kicking. Kimberly distracts her, as Debra sneaks in the window. Kim tells her
mother that she reminds her of Medea. However, despite Kim's distraction efforts, Pattie catches
Debra. Ignoring Pattie's protests, Debra comes into the house, and drags a mailbox into the
basement. Pattie reflects on and laments her situation, before singing a lullaby that she used to
sing for Kim to the new baby ("Hello, Darling (reprise)/Father Time"). At this point, it is Kim's
sixteenth birthday. The life expectancy of one with her disease is sixteen years old. The next
morning, Buddy is driving Kim and Seth to school, but embarrasses Kim by yelling at Seth for
supposedly wanting to "get in her [Kimberly's] pants". He also throws Seth's muffin out of the car
window ("Happy For Her"). Kimberly yells at her father, and tells him that she hopes he drives the
car off the road and crashes into a tree, then dies. Later, at school, Seth tells Kim that if she wanted
him to kiss her, he'd do it. He also invites Kim to come to Skater Planet that night, which she
agrees to. Kim reflects on her feelings for Seth ("Anagram (reprise)"). That night, at Skater Planet,
Seth gives Kimberly a present of a book of anagrams. Pattie, Debra, and Buddy all show up as well,
having been invited by Seth, who reveals to Kim that this is a surprise birthday party. Debra gifts
Kim an extremely large pinecone, while Buddy and Pattie both promise to, respectively, stop
drinking and be a better mother as their presents. Martin, Aaron, Delia, and Teresa arrive, also
having been invited to the party. Delia informs the group that they won't be able to get their
costumes, because the show choir has run out of money. Hearing this, Debra ropes them into her
plan once more. Everybody hopes for the future ("This Time").

Act II

In Kim’s basement, Debra is teaching the six teenagers how to wash a check. It proves too complex
for them, with Aaron getting his arm stuck in the mailbox (from which they are retrieving the
checks), and Teresa getting a glue trap stuck to her head (which they are using to fish out the
checks). However, once Debra compares them unfavorably to West Orange, they complete the task
without trouble (“How to Wash a Check”). After the rest of the group is gone, Seth stands alone
and reflects on how all his life he was the "good kid" and now he is involved in a check fraud
scheme, before deciding "maybe a little bad could do a lot of good." ("Good Kid")

At the Levaco home, Buddy is trying to distract himself, since he is not drinking, through an
exercise plan he and Kim came up with. When Pattie, now with a leg brace from a skating injury at
Kimberly’s birthday party, leaves her camera in the room, he makes a video for the baby. He
reflects on the future that he lost when Pattie got pregnant with Kim, and tells the baby to “see the
world” (“Hello, Baby”). At school, the six teens are in the library, playing UNO, just before their
biology class (and their biology presentations). Seth asks about what will happen if they get caught,
and all of them think about what the future holds (“Skater Planet (reprise #2)”). In class, the group
does their presentations. Aaron and Martin present scurvy, Delia and Teresa present fasciolosis,
and Kim and Seth present her disease. During the presentation, Kimberly gets upset, thinking
about how getting older is her affliction, but getting older is the rest of the class’s cure (for
adolescence). She runs out of the class (“Our Disease”).

When Kim arrives at home, she finds that Buddy has cooked a meal for everybody, and they sit
down for a family dinner. However, resentment soon boils over, and they begin to fight. It is
revealed that Buddy paid Debra to go to the Levaco’s old neighbor, Mr. Zwicky’s house to beat him
up, because Pattie had sex with him to ensure that this baby wouldn’t have the same ailment as
Kim. Zwicky died of a fear-induced heart attack during the assault, resulting in the family leaving
Lodi. They fight, until Kimberly collapses to the floor (“The Inevitable Turn”). Three days later, at
the hospital, Kim is bedridden and asleep. Debra convinces Buddy and Pattie to leave and go
home, so they can sleep and take showers. Before they leave, Pattie tells Kim (who is pretending to
sleep) that the Make A Wish Foundation is going to build her a treehouse. Seth shows up, while
Debra takes off to find a bedpan and pills. Seth has brought all sorts of things to help Kim feel
better, but she just wants to live in a better moment and they decide to leave to participate in the
check fraud scheme, which was to be done without them (“Now”).

Debra reminds the group of their plan (“How to Wash a Check (reprise)”). She also reveals the
kid’s crushes on one another. Kim emerges from the back room disguised as a grandma, which is a
part of the plan. She demands that Martin, Aaron, Delia, Teresa, and Seth don’t come along, but
Seth insists (he is also the one driving). They go. Later, Kim comes home with a bag of the money
and tells her parents that they can finally go on their road trip, and to start packing. She then goes
into her room, and sees that they have replaced her bed with a crib for the new baby. They fight,
and she tells her parents to give up who they wanted her to be before she dies (“Before I Go”). She
writes a new letter to Make A Wish, telling them thank you for the treehouse, but that she doesn’t
need it, because she is going to see the world (“Make A Wish (reprise)”). Kimberly and Seth are in
Buddy’s car, at Six Flags Great Adventure. They are on a road trip, with the camera and their
portion of the money–as well as Debra’s money, which they stole. Kim makes a video for her sister,
and asks Seth to make sure she gets it (“Hello, Sister”). They kiss. Martin, Aaron, Delia, and Teresa
(in their show choir outfits), Debra (now working at Costco), Pattie and Buddy (with the new
baby), and Kim and Seth tell the audience to live life to the fullest because "no one gets a second
time around." (“Great Adventure”).

Productions

Off-Broadway (2021)

Kimberly Akimbo's premiere production ran Off-Broadway from December 8, 2021 to January 15,
2022 (with previews beginning on November 6), at the Linda Gross Theater in Manhattan,
produced by the Atlantic Theater Company. Directed by Jessica Stone, its cast included Tony
Award-winner Victoria Clark, Tony nominee Steven Boyer, Alli Mauzey, and Justin Cooley. Set
design was by David Zinn; costume design was by Sarah Laux; lighting design was by Lap Chi Chu;
sound design was by Kai Harada; choreography was by Danny Mefford; and orchestrations were by
John Clancy, with additional musical arrangements by Macy Schmidt.[3]

Broadway (2022)

The show then moved to Broadway's Booth Theatre with the same cast, beginning previews on
October 12, 2022 with an official opening on November 10, 2022. It was produced by David Stone,
the Atlantic Theater Company, James L. Nederlander, LaChanze, John Gore, Patrick Catullo and
Aaron Glick. For this production, the entire creative team remained except for Chu's lighting, who
was replaced by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew.[4] The show received rave reviews from the critics.[5] The
show received eight 2023 Tony Award nominations,[6] winning for best musical, book, score,
leading actress, and supporting actress.[7]

Planned North American Tour (2024)

In April 2023, it was announced that the show will embark on a 60-city North American national
tour. The tour is scheduled to launch in September 2024 at the Denver Center for the Performing
Arts. Further cities and tour casting are to be announced at a later date.[8]

Musical numbers
Act I Act II

"Skater Planet" - Aaron, Delia, Martin, "How to Wash a Check" - Debra, Kimberly,
Teresa, Seth, Kimberly Seth, Aaron, Delia, Martin, Teresa
"Hello, Darling" - Pattie "Good Kid" - Seth
"Make a Wish" - Kimberly "Hello, Baby" - Buddy
"Skater Planet (reprise #1)" - Aaron, Delia, "Skater Planet (reprise #2)" - Aaron, Delia,
Martin, Teresa † Martin, Teresa, Seth
 "Anagram" - Seth, Kimberly, Company
"Better" - Debra, Kimberly, Company
"Hello, Darling (reprise)/Father Time" - Pattie
"Happy For Her" - Buddy
"Anagram (reprise)" - Kimberly †
"This Time" - Company
"Our Disease" - Kimberly, Seth, Aaron, Delia,
Martin, Teresa
"The Inevitable Turn" - Pattie, Buddy, Debra,
Aaron, Delia, Martin, Teresa
"Now" - Seth, Kimberly
"How to Wash a Check (reprise)" - Debra,
Aaron, Delia, Martin, Teresa
"Before I Go" - Kimberly, Buddy, Pattie
"Hello, Sister" - Kimberly, Seth †
"Great Adventure" - Company

†=Not on the Broadway Cast Album

Cast and characters

Off-Broadway Broadway
Character
2021 2022

Kimberly Levaco Victoria Clark

Seth Weetis Justin Cooley

Buddy Levaco Steven Boyer

Pattie Levaco Alli Mauzey

Aunt Debra Bonnie Milligan

Delia McDaniels Olivia Elease Hardy

Martin Doaty Fernell Hogan II

Aaron Puckett Michael Iskander

Teresa Benton Nina White

Awards and nominations

2021 Off-Broadway production

Year Award Category Nominee Result

2022 Outstanding Musical Won

Outstanding Actress in a Musical Victoria Clark Nominated

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Justin Cooley Nominated

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Bonnie Milligan Nominated
Drama Desk Outstanding Director of a Musical Jessica Stone Nominated
Awards[9]
Outstanding Music Jeanine Tesori Nominated
David Lindsay-
Outstanding Lyrics Nominated
Abaire

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical David Zinn Nominated

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical Kai Harada Nominated

 Outstanding Production of a Musical Nominated
Drama League
Victoria Clark Nominated
Awards[10] Distinguished Performance Award
Bonnie Milligan Nominated

Outstanding Musical Won

Outstanding Choreographer Danny Mefford Nominated

Lucille Lortel Victoria Clark Won

Outstanding Leading Performer in a Musical
Awards[11] Justin Cooley Nominated
Bonnie Milligan Won
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical
Steven Boyer Nominated

New York Drama

Best Musical Won
Critics' Circle[12]

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical Won

Outstanding Actor in a Musical Justin Cooley Nominated

Outstanding Actress in a Musical Victoria Clark Won

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Bonnie Milligan Nominated

Outer Critics Circle Outstanding Director of a Musical Jessica Stone Won

Awards[13]
David Lindsay-
Outstanding Book of a Musical Won
Abaire

Jeanine Tesori &

Outstanding Score David Lindsay- Nominated
Abaire
Outstanding Orchestrations John Clancy Nominated

Theatre World Award[14] Justin Cooley Honoree

2022 Broadway production

Year Award Category Nominee Result

2023 Best Musical Won

David Lindsay-
Best Book of a Musical Won
Abaire

Jeanine Tesori &

Best Original Score David Lindsay- Won
Abaire
Tony Awards[15]
Best Direction of a Musical Jessica Stone Nominated
Best Leading Actress in a Musical Victoria Clark Won

Best Featured Actor in a Musical Justin Cooley Nominated

Best Featured Actress in a Musical Bonnie Milligan Won

Best Orchestrations John Clancy Nominated

Dorian Award[16] Outstanding Broadway Musical Won

Outstanding Broadway Ensemble Won

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Broadway
Victoria Clark Won
Musical
 Outstanding Featured Performance in a
Bonnie Milligan Won
Broadway Musical
Broadway Showstopper Award Nominated

Actor's Equity
Foundation Clarence Derwent Award Bonnie Milligan Won
Award[17]

Grammy Award[18] Best Musical Theater Album Pending

References
1. "Kimberly Akimbo (Broadway, Booth Theatre, 2022) | Playbill" (https://playbill.com/production/ki
mberly-akimbo-broadway-2022). Playbill. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
2. "Kimberly Akimbo - 2003 Off-Broadway Production" (http://www.iobdb.com/Production/2207).
www.iobdb.com. Retrieved 2022-06-11.
3. "Kimberly Akimbo" (http://www.iobdb.com/Production/6948). www.iobdb.com. Retrieved
2022-06-10.
4. "Kimberly Akimbo - Broadway Musical - Original | IBDB" (https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-prod
uction/kimberly-akimbo-534754). Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
5. "Kimberly Akimbo" (https://didtheylikeit.com/shows/kimberly-akimbo/). Did They Like It?.
Retrieved 2023-04-27.
6. "2023 Tony Awards Nominees" (https://www.tonyawards.com/news/2023-tony-awards-nominee
s). www.tonyawards.com. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
7. "2023 Tony Awards Nominees" (https://www.tonyawards.com/winners). www.tonyawards.com.
Retrieved May 12, 2023.
8. Culwell-Block, Logan (April 10, 2023). "Broadway's Kimberly Akimbo to Embark on a National
Tour in 2024" (https://playbill.com/article/broadways-kimberly-akimbo-to-embark-on-a-national-t
our-in-2024).
9. "66th Drama Desk Awards" (https://www.dramadeskawards.com/nominees/). Drama Desk
Awards. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
10. Rosky, Nicole (April 25, 2022). "2022 Drama League Awards Nominations Announced- Full
List!" (https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/2022-Drama-League-Awards-Nominations-Anno
unced--Full-List-20220425). BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
11. Rosky, Nicole (May 1, 2022). "KIMBERLY AKIMBO, ORATORIO FOR LIVING THINGS, and
More Take Home 2022 Lucille Lortel Awards; Full List!" (https://www.broadwayworld.com/articl
e/Who-Will-Win-at-the-2022-Lucille-Lortel-Awards-20220501). BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved
2022-05-03.
12. Gans, Andrew (May 12, 2022). "A Case for the Existence of God and Kimberly Akimbo are
2022 New York Drama Critics' Circle Winners" (https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/theatre/winn
ers-of-evening-standard-theatre-awards-2009-6733220.html). Playbill. Retrieved April 30,
2023.
13. Culwell-Block, Logan (May 17, 2022). "The Lehman Trilogy Leads 2022 Outer Critics Circle
Awards, Six Wins Best Musical; See the Complete List of Winners" (https://www.playbill.com/ar
ticle/the-lehman-trilogy-leads-2022-outer-critics-circle-awards-six-wins-best-musical-see-the-co
mplete-list-of-winners). Playbill. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
14. "Theatre World Awards 2022" (https://newyorktheater.me/2022/05/06/theatre-world-awards-202
2/). New York Theater. 2022-05-06. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
15. "2023 Tony Awards Nominees" (https://www.tonyawards.com/news/2023-tony-awards-nominee
s/). www.tonyawards.com. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
16. " "Kimberly Akimbo" and "Fat Ham" win the 1st Annual Dorian Theater Awards - Blog - The Film
Experience" (http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2023/6/2/kimberly-akimbo-and-fat-ham-win-the-1
st-annual-dorian-theate.html). thefilmexperience.net. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
17. Gans, Andrew (May 17, 2023). "Darius de Haas, Alex Newell, Bonnie Milligan, More Named
Recipients of Actors' Equity Foundation Awards" (https://playbill.com/article/darius-de-haas-ale
x-newell-bonnie-milligan-more-named-recipients-of-actors-equity-foundation-awards).
playbill.com.
18. "2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List | GRAMMY.com" (https://www.gram
my.com/news/2024-grammys-nominations-full-winners-nominees-list). www.grammy.com.
Retrieved 2023-11-10.

External links
Official website (https://kimberlyakimbothemusical.com)
​Kimberly Akimbo​(https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/534754) at the Internet
Broadway Database
​Kimberly Akimbo​(http://www.iobdb.com/Production/6948) at the Internet Off-Broadway
Database

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