Playhouse Square touring production of ‘Kimberly Akimbo’ has lots of heart

The musical “Kimberly Akimbo” actually began as a comedic stage play by David Lindsay Abaire and premiered in Costa Mesa, California in 2001. It eventually made its way Off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 2003. After a short run it was shelved. It was only when composer Jeanine Tesori (“Shrek the Musical”) suggested that the play have music added to it that resulted in a Broadway run in 2023 that earned eight Tony Award nominations with five Tony Award wins (Best Musical, Best Book, Best Original Score, Best Actress in a Musical (Victoria Clark) and Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Bonnie Milligan).

Kimberly Levaco (Carolee Carmello) has moved with her family to Bergen County, New Jersey under mysterious conditions. Her dad, Buddy (Jim Hogan) works at a gas station and has a big drinking problem. Her mother, Pattie (Laura Woyasz) is very pregnant and has both arms in casts up to the elbows due to carpel tunnel surgery.

Kimberly suffers from progeria, a rare genetic disorder that ages her at four to five times the normal rate. Although just shy of her sixteenth birthday, chronologically Kimberly is between 64 to 80 years old. Sufferers of this condition rarely survive past 20 years old.

At the “Skater Planet” ice skating rink new comer Kimberly meets other teenagers whom she goes to school with. Seth (Miguel Gil) manages the rink. The other four, Martin (Darron Hayes), Aaron (Pierce Wheeler), Teresa (Skye Alyssa Friedman) and Delia (Grace Capeless) are all school misfits who have formed their own clique. Each member of the group pines for another (Martin for Aaron, Aaron for Delia, Delia for Teresa and Teresa for Martin). They sing about their frustrations of not fitting in and living in New Jersey (“Skater Planet”).

 Kimberly’s frequently drunk father is over three hours late to pick Kimberly up as she sits in front of the closed skating rink during a snow storm. Kimberly gives him a thermos of coffee to sober him up for the trip home. Seth returns to the rink to fetch his tuba and asks Kimberly to be his biology lab partner for an upcoming report on disease suggesting they do it on her condition. Buddy sees Seth as a threat and tells him that Kimberly is researching glaucoma. On the way home, Buddy asks Kimberly to tell Pattie they were late due to car troubles.

At home, Pattie is creating a video for her yet to be born baby (“Hello Darling”). As the three are reunited an argument ensues with Buddy and Pattie having to put money in the “Swear Jar”. Buddy wants to take the swear money and take the family on a road trip but Pattie shoots that idea down due to her pregnancy. It is also apparent that they are on the run from Lodi, New Jersey. In her room, Kimberly begins a letter to the “Make A Wish Foundation” (“Make A Wish”) listing three wishes including a tree house (even though there are no trees on the property.

At school, Martin, Aaron, Delia and Teresa have formed a singing group to compete with their school show choir against arch rival West Orange High School (“Skater Planet reprise”). They dream of purchasing classic show choir outfits but are turned down due to the expense unless they can come up with the cash themselves. Kimberly agrees to partner with Seth for the biology project using her disease as the topic. Seth turns out to be a linguistician specializing in anagrams (finding new words from phrases or names). Seth takes Kimberly’s first and last name and finds “Cleverly Akimbo” as Kimberly finds that she really likes Seth (“Anagram”).

While in the library, Kim’s criminal aunt, Debra (Emily Koch) shows up. It seems that the Levaco family had moved from Lodi deliberately to avoid Debra. Having lived in a tent until it burned down and now residing in the school library Debra tells Kimberly that she has plans to make lots of money that is only “slightly illegal”. Debra is able to hook Kimberly into the project in order to pay for her family road trip as well as her four friends to pay for their choir outfits. Seth goes along because he likes Kimberly. With the plan hatched, Debra tells Kimberly to leave the window unlocked at the house. Breaking into the house, Debra convinces Pattie to let her stay in the basement dragging a full size mail box down the stairs.

As for the cast, they are excellent. Carolee Carmello as Kimberly while a middle aged actress plays the part of a sixteen year old to perfection. The five misfits of Miguel Gil, Grace Capeless, Pierce Wheeler, Skye Alyssa Friedman and Darron Hayes as Seth, Delia, Aaron, Teresa and Martin bring a youthful energy to the mix. Their skill at dancing on ice skates is phenominal. Jim Hogan as Buddy is the perfect drinking dad. His song “Happy For Her” with Carolee Carmello and Miguel Gil is a show stopper. Laura Woyasz with her very pregnant costume and arm casts does a superb job of maneuvering the stage. Last but not least is Emily Koch as Debra who plays the comic heavy with great zeal.

David Zinn’s stage design seamlessly shifts from ice skating rink to school to library to house and back and forth. Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew’s lighting adds volumes to the production. Kai Harada’s sound design was crisp and clear in the massive Connor Palace Theatre. J. Jared Janas’ hair, wig and makeup designs give a degree of believe-ability as well. The show is smartly directed by Jessica Stone who allows the story to be told at a leisurely pace. The show does run around two and a half hours with intermission but is worth the time.

At last, a fun comedy that is full of heart and most important a happy ending for all. This group of nine professionals fill the stage with enormous talent. This is the feel good show of the year.

The Playhouse Square Touring production of “Kimberly Akimbo” will be on stage in the Connor Palace Theatre through August 3, 2025. For more information and to purchase tickets go to http://www.playhousesquare.org or call (216) 241-6000.