Kimberly Akimbo at Ohio Theatre in Columbus

THE MOST TONY AWARD-WINNING SHOW OF THE SEASON KIMBERLY AKIMBO is coming to the legendary Ohio Theatre in Columbus. The beloved production boasts Tony Award-winning book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE (from Rabbit Hole), a Tony Award-winning score by JEANINE TESORI (from Fun Home), choreography by DANNY MEFFORD (from Dear Evan Hansen) and direction by the Tony-nominated director JESSICA STONE.

Kimberly Akimbo Tickets

This shining musical is going on a super exciting national tour across North America. Kicking off in the fall of 2024, this trek gives spectators the opportunity to experience the heart and hilarity of this moving new musical live and up close. Circle your calendars as you do not want to miss this smash hit show! The tour kicked off at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in September 2024 and has embarked on a 60-city tour over 75 exciting weeks. Don’t miss out – secure your spot now!

“IT FEELS LIKE A MIRACLE. I LOVED IT FROM THE FIRST NOTE TO THE LAST.” – The Washington Post

Synopsis 

Kimberly Akimbo is a Tony Award-winning Best Musical that is based on growing up and growing old — in no particular order. The story follows a teenager from New Jersey who suffers from a rare aging disease that makes her appear 72 years old. The show explores the challenges of typical adolescence, including first love, family dysfunction, and the need to fit in.

Kimberly Lavaco (Carolee Carmello) is a bright and funny teen who is compelled to deal with family secrets, borderline personalities, and even possible felony charges. The character’s condition is similar to a real disease known as progeria, which causes the body to age quickly. Kimberly’s family includes a hypochondriac mom, a rarely sober father, as well as a scam-artist aunt. The tale sees Kimberly form an attachment with a teenage boy. However, their situation is complicated by her rapidly deteriorating health condition. The smash hit show includes showstoppers like “Better”, “Anagram”, and “The Inevitable Turn”. 

“THE BEST NEW MUSICAL OF THE YEAR — BY FAR.” – The Wall Street Journal

“A HOWLINGLY FUNNY HEARTBREAKER OF A SHOW.” – The New Yorker

Creative team

Kimberly Akimbo features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize and two-time Tony Award winner David Lindsay-Abaire (from Rabbit Hole), music by two-time Tony Award winner Jeanine Tesori (from Fun Home), choreography by Danny Mefford (from Dear Evan Hansen) and direction by the incredibly talented award-winning director Jessica Stone. 

Cast members include Carolee Carmello as Kimberly Lavaco, Miguel Gil as Seth, Jim Hogan as Buddy, Emily Koch as Debra, Dana Steingold as Pattie, Grace Capeless as Delia, Skye Alyssa Friedman as Teresa, Darron Hayes as Martin, as well as Pierce Wheeler as Aaron. Sarah Lynn Marion, Regene Seven Odon, Marcus Phillips, Bailey Ryon, and Brandon Springman are the understudies, while Valerie Wright is the standby for Kimberly Lavaco.

History and awards

Penned in 2000, Kimberly Akimbo is a musical based on a compelling play by David Lindsay-Abaire that has had a history of critical reverence and well-deserved award wins. Off-broadway, the production snagged awards at the Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, and Outer Critics Circle Awards. 

The show opened at the Booth Theatre on the 9th November 2022, and secured as many as five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score (Tesori and Lindsay-Abaire), Best Leading Actress in a Musical (Victoria Clark), as well as Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Bonnie Milligan). For the first time in theater history, the winners for lead and featured actor in a musical are both gender non-conforming. The show will play at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco from the 5th November until 1st December 2024, and move to the Ohio Theatre in Columbus from the 3rd until the 8th June 2025.

Review 

“Clever, touching and idiosyncratic, Kimberly Akimbo was the best new musical of 2021, when it premiered Off Broadway at the Atlantic. The dark absurdist comedy of Lindsay-Abaire’s original play—reminiscent of Christopher Durang, John Guare and the playwright’s own Fuddy Meers—remains, but it is tempered by the addition of Tesori’s winding, agile melodies and a geek chorus of four students (Olivia Elease Hardy, Fernell Hogan, Nina White and Michael Iskander) twined in a daisy chain of frustrated romance. In the hands of these gifted writers, material that might have been rendered as merely zany has human and forgiving dimensions, and the score finds sneaky ways to break your heart even as it maintains a general air of cheer.” – Time Out