About the work
Kimberly Akimbo is a musical by Jeanine Tesori (music) and David Lindsay-Abaire (lyrics and book), premiered Off-Broadway in 2021 and on Broadway in 2022. Based on Lindsay-Abaire's play, it won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
Plot
Kimberly is a sixteen-year-old girl with a rare genetic condition that ages her body rapidly, so that she looks like an old woman and her life expectancy is greatly shortened. Amid a chaotic, self-centred family and the ordinary turmoil of high school, Kimberly searches for genuine connection, small moments of happiness, and the courage to live her limited life to the full. An offbeat scheme hatched by a criminal aunt adds further comedy.
Cultural significance
Kimberly Akimbo rarely combines black humour with deep humanity, turning an unusual subject into a moving celebration of life in the face of mortality. Jeanine Tesori's subtle score and Lindsay-Abaire's clever text were highly praised. As one of the most recent Tony-winning musicals, it is regarded as an example of intelligent, deeply touching contemporary musical theatre.