KIMBERLY AKIMBO is a musical with a lot of heart, a lot of wit, and a lot of rave reviews and awards. And now it’s playing at PPAC through this Sunday, May 10—Mother’s Day outing, anyone? KIMBERLY AKIMBO, which won a total of five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, is about a teenage girl named Kimberly. She’s about to turn 16 and has recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey.
Kimberly juggles the usual teenage stressors—trying to make friends at a brand-new school and having her first crush—alongside some unique dilemmas: a rare genetic condition, family dysfunction…and possible felony charges (long story—you’ll have to see the show to find out). Ever the optimist, she is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure.
What unfolds is a coming-of-age story that critics have described as “profoundly funny and heartbreaking” and “wise, original, moving.” Pulitzer Prize–winner David Lindsay-Abaire (book and lyrics) adapted the musical from his 2003 play Kimberly Akimbo. Lindsay-Abaire collaborated with Tony Award–winner Jeanine Tesori (music), an artistic partnership that began when they worked together on Shrek The Musical. KIMBERLY AKIMBO blends indie rock–inflected musical theater with razor-sharp writing and surprising tenderness. Tesori also made history for her work on KIMBERLY AKIMBO, becoming the first woman to win two Tony Awards for Best Score (her first Tony Award for Best Score was for Fun Home).
The production swept nearly every major theater award in 2023 for a reason. Along with the Tonys, 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.
If you’re craving a theatrical experience that is down-to-earth, honest, and deeply human, KIMBERLY AKIMBO might be “your new favorite musical” (Hollywood Reporter). PPAC encourages ticket holders to arrive early, as House Organist Peter Edwin Krasinski will perform mini concerts on the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ before each curtain time, with the exception of the Friday evening and Saturday matinee performances. This week also marks the last opportunity to hear the Organ live until 2028, as the instrument will soon head to California for its first-ever complete restoration.
Tickets for KIMBERLY AKIMBO are available at the PPAC Box Office window (220 Weybosset Street, downtown Providence), online at ppacri.org, or by phone at 401.421.2787. Performance dates and times are Wednesday, May 6 at 7 p.m.; Thursday, May 7 and Friday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 9 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, May 10 at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.