Buffalo Theatre: The latest touring musical to hit Shea’s is a quirky tale about teenage troubles with a twist

By Nathan Andrew Miller

Above: Photo courtesy of sheas.org

I am embarrassed to say that I am woefully out of touch with Broadway musicals between November 2021 and November 2025. After years of traveling to New York City semi-regularly, changes in my own life meant that I had a four-year gap in seeing Broadway shows. So as I sat in Shea’s Tuesday evening, I was thrilled to see what all the Kimberly Akimbo fuss was about!

The Jeanine Tesori/David Lindsay-Abaire musical delighted both Off-Broadway and on, earning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Leading Actress in a Musical (Victoria Clark as Kim), and Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Bonnie Milligan as Debra). Based on Lindsay-Abaire’s 2001 play of the same name, the story centers on 16-year-old Kimberly Levaco, who has a condition that causes her to age 4.5 times faster than normal and to appear to be in her 70s.

The book and music are very much in the style of their creators. The show is quirky, sharp-witted and contains plenty of obscenities (including one four-letter word that made even this four-letter word aficionado cringe). The music is not your typical Broadway fare, although there are definitely one or two traditional showstoppers. The musical has a small cast, which maintains an intimate feel, even in the massive Shea’s theater.

As Kim, Ann Morrison is the obvious anchor of the story. Her decades of experience, including cult status as the original Mary Flynn in Merrily We Roll Along, allow her to navigate the complicated character with ease. It’s an interesting star vehicle for an actress of a certain age, and Morrison shines.

Her mannerisms are relied upon to remind the audience that she really is a teenager and that she understands Kim’s humor, sentiment and emotions. Without delving too much into the story, Morrison is called upon to take an extremely arduous, almost athletic, emotional journey in Act 2 and is more than up to the task.

Partnered with Morrison as self-professed “good kid” Seth Weetis is Marcus Phillips, who is a delight. If the whole show is “quirky,” Seth is the heart of its quirkiness. Phillips gives an honest, sweet and genuine portrayal of a teenager desperate for friendship. He finds it in Kim and charms her with his proclivity for anagrams.

As if it wasn’t hard enough for Kim to live in a world where she’s immediately an outcast, she’s got a dysfunctional family at home to make her life more difficult. Her parents were high schoolers themselves when they had Kim, and it’s clear her condition has affected them.

Alcoholic dad Buddy, perpetually injured and very pregnant mom Pattie and criminal aunt Debra make life at home a non-stop drama-fest. Lindsay-Abaire’s treatment of these characters at first appears uneven, but as the story progresses, it’s clear they’re people with deep problems they never learned how to cope with. In other words, they’re typical, flawed humans. Buddy (the irresistibly funny Jim Hogan) really is trying to be a better dad, despite failing mightily. Pattie (Laura Woyasz) really wants to be there for Kim, even as she reflects on the imminent arrival of her new baby. And Debra (a star turn from Emily Koch) flies into town with another get-rich-quick scheme, which she SWEARS is only to give Kim the road trip she desires and the high school’s glee club the costumes they need to beat rival West Orange. If that sounds ridiculous, trust me — it is.

But these characterizations, the weird schemes, the familial guilt — these are what make Kimberly Akimbo so impressive as a piece. It presents people at their most raw and honest.

And as the show closes with “Great Adventure,” which compels the audience to live their lives to the fullest because “no one gets a second time around,” this little musical shows its big heart.

Nathan Andrew Miller has a BFA in Theatre Performance and a BA in English from Niagara University and has been reviewing theater in WNY since 2015. Nate is also an actor and director at various local theaters.