Kimberly Akimbo
Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Music by Jeanine Tesori
Directed by Jessica Stone
Choreographed by Danny Mefford
The Fox Theatre
March 25, 2025

Cast of Kimberly Akimbo
Photo by Joan Marcus
Kimberly Akimbo US Tour
Kimberly Akimbo is a much-lauded musical that won various accolades for its Broadway run, including the Tony Award for Best Musical. When I heard the tour was coming to the Fox, I was especially looking forward to seeing it, since I had heard so many good things about it. After seeing this unique, small-ish show with big ambitions, I can say that, for the most part, it lives up to the hype, at least in terms of quality. I have a few reservations about some of the characters and plot itself, but there’s no denying that this show has a lot of enthusiasm and heart, and the tour has a truly wonderful cast.
Kimberly (Carolee Carmello) is a teenage girl with a rare genetic condition that makes her age rapidly so that she looks like an older woman. She has recently moved to a new town in New Jersey with her parents, Pattie (Laura Woyasz)–who is expecting a new baby–and Buddy (Jim Hogan). She also has a shady Aunt Debra (Emily Koch), who her parents are trying to flee, but who manages to find them. Kim attends high school and goes skating at a local skating rink, forming a friendship with the geeky Seth (Miguel Gil) in the process. There’s also a group of teens involved in the school show choir (Grace Capeless as Delia, Darron Hayes as Martin, Skye Alyssa Friedman as Teresa, and Pierce Wheeler as Aaron) who soon become closer with Kim and Seth and get roped into Debra’s latest “slightly illegal” scheme. As Kim approaches her 16th birthday and the parents await a new baby, and the teenagers wait to grow up so they can move on from the awkward high school years, the plot tension grows as Debra continues to scheme but Kim has her own ideas of how to go about it.
The overall themes of aging–and the fact that the most immature characters are the adults, who seem to have more lessons to learn than the teens–work in with the overall “make the most of your life while you’re living it” theme, and there are some especially insightful moments particularly between Kim, Seth, and the other teenagers. The adult characters can be difficult to like, considering how self-focused they are–but they do have their moments as well. Some of the biggest musical moments are from Debra, and the talented Koch makes the most of these moments with an excellent, powerful voice and strong comic timing, but I do find her plot a bit unsatisfying ultimately, and find myself hoping that Buddy and Pattie–also excellently played by Hogan and Woyasz–do become better parents in the future. Still, the real heart of this show is Kim, Seth, and their high school classmates, and casting there is also fantastic. Carmello makes me forget she’s not actually 16 for most of the play, with her quirky, persistent hopefulness and determination. She’s also well-matched by Gil in a goofily charming turn as Seth. Capeless, Hayes, Friedman, and Wheeler are also marvelous and relatable as the show-choir kids, with strong harmonies in the musical numbers. Also, Danny Mefford’s clever choreography adds a gawky energy to the teens’ dance numbers that’s effectively in keeping with their characters and story.
The set, by David Zinn, is detailed and dynamic, aided by Lucy McKinnon’s video design. There are also colorful, characterful costumes by Sarah Laux, and strong hair, wig, and makeup design by J. Jared Janas. Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew’s lighting is also fantastic, but there are some difficulties with the sound in moments. The orchestra, led by conductor Leigh Delano, lends energy and emotion to the memorable Jeanine Tesori score, as well.
Overall, Kimberly Akimbo is a fascinating, entertaining show with a fantastic score and a great cast. I find it difficult to care much about the adult characters at times, but the teen characters are its heart and soul, especially Kimberly herself. There are many relatable high school moments here, and the themes of making the most of life and taking responsibility are important. I can see why it has resonated with so many fans. I’m glad I was able to see this fantastic touring production at the Fox.

Carolee Carmello, Miguel Gil
Photo by Joan Marcus
Kimberly Akimbo US Tour
The US Tour of Kimberly Akimbo is playing at the Fox Theatre until April 6, 2025









