KIMBERLY AKIMBO To Host Broadway Debuts of New York City Public High School Students

Beginning tonight, Kimberly Akimbo, in partnership with the New York City Public Schools Theater Program, will host three New York City public high school show choirs as they make their Broadway debuts on stage at the Booth Theater.

Immediately following the performance, students from Frank Sinatra High School for the Arts (Thursday, May 18), Professional Performing Arts High School (Thursday, May 25) and Talent Unlimited High School (Thursday, June 1) will each perform a specially-arranged song from the Tony-nominated score of KIMBERLY AKIMBO.

"We so appreciate the producers helping to make the show accessible for NYC public school students," said Peter Avery, Director of Theater for New York City Public Schools. "It is even more inspiring for them to invite some of our young artists to perform on the very stage where the Kimberly Akimbo Broadway cast performs nightly."

A new musical about growing up and growing old (in no particular order), KIMBERLY AKIMBO was named BEST MUSICAL by the New York Drama Critics Circle, The Drama Desk Awards, The Lucille Lortel Awards, and The Outer Critics Circle Awards. It is currently nominated for eight Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Victoria Clark), Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Bonnie Milligan), Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Justin Cooley), Best Score (David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori), Best Book (David Lindsay-Abaire), Best Direction of a Musical (Jessica Stone), and Best Orchestrations (John Clancy).

KIMBERLY AKIMBO features book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lindsay-Abaire, based on his acclaimed play of the same name; music by Tony Award-winner Jeanine Tesori; choreography by Danny Mefford; and direction by Jessica Stone, KIMBERLY AKIMBO opened on Broadway to unanimous rave reviews on November 10, 2022, following its world premiere at the Atlantic Theater Company in December 2021.

The Broadway company of Kimberly Akimbo features Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza, Gigi) as Kimberly, Justin Cooley (who is making his Broadway debut), Tony Award nominee Steven Boyer (Hand to God, Time and the Conways), Alli Mauzey (Cry Baby, Wicked), Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels), Olivia Elease Hardy (Broadway debut), Fernell Hogan (The Prom, Mean Girls US Tour), Michael Iskander (Broadway debut), and Nina White (Broadway debut). Colleen Fitzpatrick, Skye Alyssa Friedman, Miguel Gil, Jim Hogan, Betsy Morgan, and Alex Vinh round out the cast as understudies.

KIMBERLY AKIMBO features scenic design by David Zinn, costume design by Sarah Laux, lighting design by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, sound design by Kai Harada, projection design by Lucy Mackinnon, and wig, hair, and make-up design by J. Jared Janas. The production's Music Director is Chris Fenwick. KIMBERLY AKIMBO features orchestrations by John Clancy, with additional orchestrations by Macy Schmidt. The Production Stage Manager is Arabella Powell and casting is by The Telsey Office, Craig Burns, CSA.

Kimberly (Tony Award winner Victoria Clark) is about to turn 16 and recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey. In this "howlingly funny heartbreaker of a show" (The New Yorker), Kim is forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, 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.

New York City Public Schools is the largest system of public schools in the United States. New York City Public Schools supports universal access to arts education through school support programs, student initiatives and the ArtsCount initiative, which tracks and reports student participation in arts education according to city and NY Standards. For more information, visit NYCDOE Celebrate the Arts & Arts Education.