Broadway Beyond Louisville Review: Broadway in Cincinnati presents KIMBERLY AKIMBO at The Aronoff Center

Living everyday as if it were our last is easier said than done. It’s a noble ideal, but practicality often gets in the way of living our wildest dreams. The new Tony Winning musical Kimberly Akimbo has a good chunk of that mindset. Based on a play of the same name, the show follows a high schooler named Kimberly who has a rare genetic disorder causing her to age four times faster than average, leaving people with her condition an average life expectancy of 16 years old. We meet her as her 16th birthday approaches, and we drop into her life at this pivotal moment. We see her navigate her life in the midst of her diagnosis, her crazy family, and her budding social life in a new town. 

The show opened Off Broadway in 2021 before it would move to Broadway in the fall of 2022. It would go on to win several major awards including Best Musical. Kimberly is played on tour by three-time Tony nominee Carolee Carmello, and she gives what is truly a marvel of a performance. The role of Kim is very unique; it’s the kind of contemporary role that doesn’t get written for mature actresses very often. Carmello embodies the spirit and attitude of a high schooler in many ways, but she gives so much care and nuance to the role. Carmello is always wonderful, but this role truly fits her like a glove, as she slowly peels back the layers of this character.

Her parents, Buddy and Pattie, are played by Jim Hogan and Laura Woyasz. They have wonderful chemistry and provide a lot of really funny moments, and in lesser hands these roles would be very unlikeable. They both find humanity within the madness. Woyasz’s rendition of “Father Time” was so beautifully moving, and Hogan’s Buddy shows his heart during Kim’s 11 o’clock number later in the show. Emily Koch as Aunt Debra is a scene-stealing wonder. Her comedic timing is flawless, and she delivers powerhouse vocals throughout the evening. 

A rare treat for Cincy audiences is that Justin Cooley is reprising his Tony-nominated role as Seth for a very limited time, and he’s just a delight. He taps into a very specific and lovable kind of awkwardness, and it’s lovely watching his character’s friendship with Kimberly grow. I also have to shout out Grace Capeless, Skye Alyssa Friedman, Regene Seven Odon, and Pierce Wheeler as the school’s show choir, who play a very integral part in the plot that I can’t get into for the sake of spoilers, but they’re all so phenomenal in their roles.

The score and book by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire are top-notch musical theatre writing. They put so much humor and heart into this show. Jessica Stone’s direction is perfect for this chamber musical, creating a template for what I’m sure will be many community theatre productions to come. 

Given the central plot of the show, I can understand a feeling of trepidation that this might be a downer, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Kimberly Akimbo is a JOYOUS musical about a strong girl reclaiming her life and living for and loving herself. I left with tears in my eyes over how wonderful it felt to watch that kind of story right now. If you’re on the fence because this isn’t a flashy revival or a poppy musical based on a movie, I beg you to give this subtle, scrappy, and bittersweet musical comedy a chance, because I can guarantee it’ll make your shitty life better. 

KIMBERLY AKIMBO

Now - March 2nd

Aronoff Center For The Arts

650 Walnut Street Cincinnati, OH 45202.