OKLAHOMA CITY – OKC Broadway’s 10th anniversary season kicks off this week at the Civic Center Music Hall, and opening the fall tour season is “Kimberly Akimbo” – the 2023 Tony Award winner for Best Musical.
The national tour debuted in 2024 and makes its first ever stop in OKC this week, running through Sunday September 14.
Based on the (non-musical) play of the same name, “Kimberly Akimbo” explores what it’s like to grow up “different,” and a strong touring cast delivers this musical take on this coming-of-age tale.
Ann Morrison is a legend of Broadway proportions. Best known for originating the role of Mary Flynn in Stephen Sondheim’s 1981 classic “Merrily We Roll Along,” Morrison is seen here in a brand new light and portrays Kimberly with heart and gumption.
15 year-old Kimberly suffers from a rare genetic condition that causes rapid aging – similar to Progeria, but never formally named – so she has the physicality and appearance of a woman much older than she is. Thus explains the casting choice for a veteran Broadway performer to portray an awkward teenager. Morrison is quirky and youthful, and the audience takes to her charming demeanor immediately.
With direction by Jessica Stone and choreography by Chris Fenwick, the production moves along quite smoothly, despite some flaws in the story.
This touring production is charming and at times subtly brilliant. Lighting design works wonders for setting the mood, and moments of drama are elevated from funny to gasp-inducing. Stark outlines on dark fields jump out from the stage, and during scenes set in Kimberly’s home, lamps dim and ebb with emotions, making poignant moments feel intimate and familiar.
Scene changes are likewise impressive. The entire cast disappears into darkness without making a sound, a feat that looks easy but in practice is anything but. The transitions are seamless, a goal that many productions reach for and very few achieve. Simply blinking will cause the audience to miss whole scene changes.
It’s all accomplished with the flick of a wrist, and the cast proves their professionalism and skill with unrivaled expertise.
But while the premise is promising as a concept, the plotline starts off murky and then goes downhill from there.
Much can be said for the idea of simply leaving things alone. While the play flew under the radar, it is a genuinely heartfelt, engaging, and moving piece of theatre that isn’t improved upon by adding musical numbers.
The appeal of musical theatre is one that is impossible for theatre producers to resist. It draws crowds and sells merch, springing forth with playlists, social media dances, and cultural shifts. From founding fathers to Christmas stories, Evan Hansens and staples of the screen, it seems nothing is safe from the song and dance version of itself. This never-ending recycling of material has created a genre that is so saturated, it’s soggy.
It’s with boldness that the next statement is uttered; not everything needs to be a musical.
While plays demand thoughtful dialogue, musicals are often jarringly interrupted by random outbursts of song. That is particularly true with this show, which was doing fine on its own as a play, but has been musicalized and expanded. What results is a plot that is spread so thinly, holes are starting to form. The character development is rushed to the point of whizzing by unnoticed and genuine connection gazes apologetically up from the cutting room floor.
So, while “Kimberly Akimbo” is generally entertaining, it’s certainly not the strongest of what’s in store for OKC Broadway’s 10th anniversary season. Titles like this one, along with others in the lineup – like “Shucked” and “Hell’s Kitchen” – are simply unproven on the national tour circuit.
OKC Broadway continues to make smart programming decisions with each season, and each year they bring the hottest shows from Broadway to hometown audiences. They’re choosing musicals that audiences want to see and refraining from recycling the same tired tours. As a result, OKC audiences serve as a test run for the sustainability and lasting impact of a successful national tour.
“Kimberly Akimbo” accomplishes all it sets out to do. It’s entertaining and brings a smile, quite possibly to the delight of the title character herself.
OKC Broadway’s tenth anniversary season opener, “Kimberly Akimbo,” runs through Sunday at the Civic Center Music Hall. Tickets are available online at okcbroadway.com. Season tickets for 2025/2026 are also still available.
Adrienne Proctor is a theater and arts writer in Oklahoma City. She's been contributing to the arts reporting space since 2017.
