Music Theatre International (MTI) has announced that David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori’s Tony Award-winning musical “Kimberly Akimbo” is now available for licensing. Interested productions may now apply to license the musical, which won five Tonys in 2022.
“‘Kimberly Akimbo’ is an instant classic, thanks to the exceptional talents of Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire,” said Drew Cohen, president and CEO of MTI, in a statement. “These two authors created a warm, funny and deeply moving show that speaks to the teenager in all of us. We are thrilled to welcome this hit musical into the MTI catalogue and look forward to seeing the show play on countless stages across the world.”
“Kimberly Akimbo” centers on a 16-year-old girl with a rare genetic condition that causes her to age prematurely as she seeks to make the most of her limited time on Earth. The musical features a book and lyrics by Lindsay-Abaire, a Pulitzer Prize winner whose comedy “The Balusters” was recently nominated for the Tony for Best Play. “Kimberly Akimbo” has music by Tesori, the Tony-winning composer of “Fun Home.”
“At its heart, Kimberly Akimbo is about the joy of living,” added Tesori and Lindsay-Abaire in a joint statement. “Our heroine craves adventure and connection and is determined to be seen as the person she truly is. Little did we know when we started working on the musical all those years ago that Kim’s hopeful spirit, humor and tenacity would send us, the writers, on a great adventure as well, taking us from an Off-Broadway theater in a converted church, to a Broadway house, to the Tony Awards and, eventually, a U.S. national tour. It’s been a joyous ride on a long and wonderfully winding road, and we’re beyond thrilled that our journey on it will continue now that the show is available for licensing and will be performed in theaters all over the world.”
“Kimberly Akimbo” is based on a play by Lindsay-Abaire, which premiered at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California in 2001. An Off-Broadway production with Manhattan Theatre Club followed in 2003. After collaborating with Lindsay-Abaire on “Shrek the Musical,” Tesori composed the score for the musical adaptation of “Kimberly Akimbo,” which premiered Off-Broadway in 2021. The following year, the show transferred to Broadway, opening at the Booth Theatre on November 10, 2022. For its original Broadway run, “Kimberly Akimbo” was the recipient of five Tonys: Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score, in addition to awards for the leading and featured performances of Victoria Clark and Bonnie Milligan, respectively.
