“Kimberly Akimbo” had its opening night at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center on March 3 and despite the anticipatory grief for the main character – a rapidly aging teenage girl – the musical was outright comical.
What stands out about the show was its complex plot that balanced dreadful seriousness with absurd one-liners that had the crowd laughing. Through amusing songs and dialogues, the musical had you sympathizing with the characters and reflecting on your own life.
The story focuses on 16-year-old Kimberly Levaco, played by Ann Morrison, who has the body of an old woman due to a rare disease (she ages four to five times faster than the average human). She tries to fit in as a normal teenage girl in a new town, however, dealing with a dysfunctional family and a life expectancy of 16, she faces countless struggles and harsh realities.
After seeing the production on opening night, here’s what stood out about the witty, dark story that is “Kimberly Akimbo.”
Kimberly’s character will have you inspired
Morrison’s performance was nothing short of perfect for Kimberly. With a happy-go-lucky disposition, a sweet demeanor and perfectly pitched vocals, it was believable to look at her character on stage and see a teenage girl despite appearances. What truly sold the character was Morrison’s use of mannerisms, from carefree, youthful gestures to holding her wrists or back, reflecting the contrasting sides of her youth in an older body.
Kimberly’s character was often very mature and thoughtful, especially when dealing with her narcissistic mother, alcoholic father and chaotic aunt. She frequently made grown-up decisions for them, which was inspiring. Knowing she’s dealing with her own fears and an urgency to do what she wants before her time runs out, but still being a crutch for her family, left you feeling optimistic.
Perhaps the biggest stand-out moment for her character is during the song “Our Disease,” which takes place during science class where the students present their findings on different diseases. It’s a moment of pure vulnerability for Kimberly, who is presenting on her own disease, as she begins to break from facing her reality compared to her peers. “Getting older is my affliction,” she sings. “Getting older is your cure.”
The songs are clever and infectious
The production is based on Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lindsay-Abaire’s play from 2001, the play making its return as a musical adaptation in 2021. With songs composed by Lindsay-Abaire (lyrics) and Jeanine Tesori (music), the musical combines classic showtunes with indie-folk catered to compliment the original script. Because of this, its songs are designed to be conversational, often in campy, upbeat numbers or melodic, touching scores.
Songs like “How to Wash a Check” and “Better” were so humor driven and catchy they’ll get stuck in your head, and on the flip side, songs like “Before I Go” and “Now” were packed with emotional payoff.
The characters are absurd, hilarious and thought-provoking
“Kimberly Akimbo’s” small but mighty cast nailed each performance from vocals to line delivery. Whether looking at their individual performances or group ensembles, there wasn’t a single person on stage that wasn’t engaging, funny or relatable.
A crowd favorite was Aunt Debra (Emily Koch) who was a comedic semi-antagonist. A freeloader in Kimberly’s family, she’s constantly up to no good and tries to rope Kimberly into her antics. While her performance had the audience laughing nonstop, it was strange to have moments of really liking her character as she demonstrates a genuine love for Kimberly.
Kimberly’s parents, Buddy (Jim Hogan) and Pattie (Laura Woyasz), also nailed their roles as dysfunctional parents. While you can see they love their daughter, they’re constantly blind sighted by their own struggles and often infuriatingly hilarious to watch.
Seth (Marcus Phillips) also had the audience laughing constantly. As Kimberly’s dorky, energetic friend, he was endearing to watch and easy to relate to as the kid in school who doesn’t fit in.
The other high schoolers, Delia (Gabby Beredo), Teresa (Skye Alyssa Friedman), Martin (Darron Hayes) and Aaron (Max Santopietro) were an iconic quartet by the end of the musical as well. Every one of them shined with their own individuality yet had such strong synergy with one another, it was completely believable that they were an awkward, upbeat group of friends.
The scene settings were a delight
Morrison mentioned the fun effects with snow and the illusion of ice skating in an interview with the Appleton Post-Crescent, and it certainly lived up to expectations. While the musical rotated between three main scenes, the use of rotating props, large, flashy signs and other fun theater magic created a lot of depth.
The story also takes place in 1999, and the clever use of certain props and overall fashion really sold the late ’90s atmosphere. At one point, an ELMO HP projector is rolled out and used during a class scene. Other small details include Kimberly using a Lisa Frank folder, sleeping with a Garfield plush and chewing on a candy necklace.
The show holds a deep message
One important thing to note is despite only being 16, Kimberly is very mature for her age due to her prefrontal cortex being fully developed. Because of this, her perspective on her own life and those around her reflects many strong themes.
She embraces her individuality and pushes herself and those around her to live life to the fullest, but the biggest takeaway from the show is you only live once, and tomorrow is promised to no one.
The show’s ending is unexpected and bittersweet, ending with a happy song.
“No one gets a second time around,” the cast sings during the ending song “Great Adventure.”
“Kimberly Akimbo” is running now through March 8. Tickets can be purchased online through Ticketmaster, by phone at 800-982-2782, or through the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center ticket office in-person or by phone at 920-730-3760. The ticket office is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
Faith Huey is a business reporter for The Appleton Post-Crescent. You can reach her at fhuey@usatodayco.com or view her Instagram profile at @Faith.Huey.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: 5 reasons ‘Kimberly Akimbo’ was a stand-out show at the Fox Cities PAC
Reporting by Faith Huey, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
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