‘Kimberly Akimbo’ reminds us it’s never too late to go on an adventure
The Tony-winning musical boasts of some excellent performances that take us into the world of a teenager aging quicker than the rest of us.
The 2023 Tony Award-winning musical Kimberly Akimbo has made its way to the Academy of Music, courtesy of Ensemble Arts Philly.
The intimate show tells the story of a girl named Kimberly Levaco (Ann Morrison) who has a genetic disorder that causes her to age at a rate of four to five times that of a normal person. So at 16, she looks like a 60-plus-year-old woman.
The show isn’t very plot driven, but more a character study of Kimberly, her family, and friends.
Kimberly lives with her parents, Pattie and Buddy (Laura Woyasz and Jim Hogan), and her Aunt Debra (a funny Emily Koch), who don’t always have Kimberly’s best interests in mind. The score is enjoyable in the moment but doesn’t provide the audience with tunes they leave the theater humming. It falls more in line with composer Jeanine Tesori’s other work, Fun Home, than something like Mamma Mia.
However, the score and script work well together to get the audience to empathize and care about Kimberly.
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Leading the talented ensemble is Morrison who is able to embody the youthful hopes and dreams of Kimberly, while bringing an effective aged physicality to the role. Her voice, while mature, holds a youthful quality to it, making it feel like she is truly a young woman trapped in an older body.
Miguel Gil as Seth, Kimberly’s schoolmate-turned-friend-turned-partner-in-crime, is another standout. He brings an endearing nerdiness to the character that makes him a true scene-stealer.
While extremely affecting, the show remains a small-scale story; its intimacy often gets lost in the massive space of the Academy of Music. There are moments when the vastness of the stage almost swallows what should be a much more personable experience.
In a similar vein, the performances often feel like they are struggling to fill the space. There are several moments where diction could be cleaner, as there is an occasional mumbled or muffled quality to line (and lyric) delivery.
Kimberly Akimbo reminds the audience that life is short: You should live it to the fullest while you can. For such a conventional message, the show never feels saccharine. Instead, when the final song implores the audience to go on a great adventure “cause no one gets a second time around,” you are inspired to do just that.
‘Kimberly Akimbo’
(Community/Arts)
The Tony-winning story of a girl named Kimberly Levaco (Ann Morrison) who has a genetic disorder that causes her to age at a rate four to five times that of a normal person. With some great performances, the musical delivers a sweet message but never feels saccharine.
⌚️ Through Nov. 2, 📍 240 S Broad St, Phila. 🌐 ensembleartsphilly.org
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