“Kimberly Akimbo” national tour launches in Denver

The national tour of “Kimberly Akimbo” has launched in Denver, marking the first time the five-time Tony Award-winning production has toured the United States. The production launched its first tour at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts last week, starting a long journey of touring the United States with the musical.
Ahead of opening night, playwright David Lindsay-Abaire spoke with CBS News Colorado’s Dillon Thomas to speak about the first tour.
“The best thing about Colorado, and Denver specifically, is it is such an amazing arts and culture city. If we wanted to launch anywhere, this seems like the best place to be embraced and found, and to launch the show,” Lindsay-Abaire said.
Lindsay-Abaire wrote the story that became Kimberly Akimbo in 2001, more than two decades before it became a Broadway hit.
“It was a long time ago. It was one of my very first plays,” Lindsay-Abaire said.
Lindsay-Abaire originally created the show to be a play. However, after working on Shrek the Musical with composer Jeanine Tesori, the duo was inspired to create another hit. They recalled sitting in Lindsay-Abaire’s office contemplating what shows they could work on.
That is when Tesori pulled Kimberly Akimbo from Lindsay-Abaire’s shelf and suggested they make it a musical.
“Adding Jeanine’s amazing music cracks open that story in a way I could never have imagined as a straight-up playwright,” Lindsay-Abaire said.
The collaboration was quickly a success, leading to an off-Broadway production that quickly gained steam.
“David is a great American playwright, but he also has figured out the way to express how heartbreak is right next to joy and comedy,” Tesori said.
For those who have not had the chance to see the award-winning musical, it is about a teenager named Kimberly Levaco. The teenager is only 16. However, due to a disease, Levaco’s body ages at five times the speed of a normal human.
The show creatively balances the story of Levaco, a girl who mentally is a teenager. But, physically, she is navigating her final days.
“One of the greatest things a story can do is be funny and emotional at the same time. I think the music does that in the show,” said Carolee Carmello, the actress portraying Levaco in the production.
Carmello and Miguel Gil are the two stars of the tour. Gil started on the cast of the Broadway production and signed on to tour.
 “It is a dream come true and an epic first job, because of the epic creative team behind it. The story is so beautiful and moving,” Gil, who portrays “Seth,” said.
Both Gil and Carmello said they have grown to appreciate and love the music and writing in the production.
“(Tesori) put extreme amounts of thought into every note that is sung and played,” Gil said.
“Obviously she is a brilliant composer, everyone knows that. But she is also one of the most gifted dramatists and dramaturgs. So, she thinks like a playwright,” Lindsay-Abaire said.
Those on the cast and crew of the production said they were honored to launch the first national tour in Denver.
“This is the Mile High City, and we feel a mile high performing here,” Gil said.
“We couldn’t ask for a more beautiful city to launch our national tour,” Carmello said.
The show may not be appropriate for young children but will promise to make teenagers and generations beyond laugh and cry.
“One of my favorite things is hearing from people who are like, ‘I don’t like musicals, but I loved your show.’ That is like the greatest compliment,” Lindsay-Abaire said.
“If Kimberly can be a gateway, then bring it,” Tesori said.
Kimberly Akimbo plays at the Buell Theatre through Oct. 5. More information about tickets can be found online at the Denver Center website. 
CBS Colorado is a proud partner of the DCPA.