The day before the 2023 Tony nominations were announced, the cast, band and composer of the musical Kimberly Akimbo climbed out of their bus and shuffled behind the Tiny Desk. That's no easy feat for nine cast members, four bandmates and a composer wielding a glockenspiel.
Kimberly Akimbo (with title character played by Broadway star Victoria Clark) is a coming-of-age story about a 16-year-old girl with a rare genetic disease, which causes her to age four times faster than normal. The show is funny, sad and uplifting all at once. It's a family affair with songs sung by Kimberly's aunt, parents, love interest and friends.
For the transfer to the Tiny Desk, composer Jeanine Tesori led the audience through a playlist of four standout musical numbers, making sure to shout out her collaborator, playwright David Lindsay-Abaire. After opening with Bonnie Milligan's Tony-nominated performance of "Better," Tesori asked her cast and band to introduce themselves. Justin Cooley, who plays Kimberly's first crush, could not make it to the Desk. The composer-turned-emcee used the opportunity to thank all understudies who work tirelessly to ensure that the show must go on — even at a desk in a Washington, D.C. office.
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