In 2001, the play “Kimberly Akimbo” by playwright David Lindsay-Abaire had its world premiere at South Coast Repertory. It received positive reviews including Variety Magazine, which called the play “poignant and significant. Life’s short, the play is saying, and we should live it to the hilt.”
In 2021, two decades after its debut, a musical version of “Kimberly Akimbo,” with book and lyrics by Lindsay-Abaire, opened in Atlanta, followed a year later by a Broadway run. The show went on to play more than 600 performances and nabbed five Tony Awards in 2023, including Best Musical.
Now, the touring production of “Kimberly Akimbo” comes to Segerstrom Center January 21 to February 2.
The plot revolves around Kimberly, who has a rare genetic condition which causes her body to age at four times the normal rate. She is about to turn 16 (but looks much older) and recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey.
In what the New Yorker called a “howlingly funny heartbreaker of a show” Kimberly is forced to navigate family dysfunction, her first crush—and possible felony charges. Ever the optimist, she is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure.
Three-time Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello stars as Kimberly in this national touring production. Joining her on stage are several original cast members of the Broadway production plus veterans of other Broadway shows from “Wicked” to Beetlejuice.”
In addition to the Tony Award for Best Musical, “Kimberly Akimbo” also won Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Score (David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori), and Best Book (David Lindsay-Abaire).
Tickets for “Kimberly Akimbo” start at $44.07 and are available for purchase online at www.scfta.org, in person at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, or by calling (714) 556-2787.
