Things were pretty celebratory at the Booth Theatre June 13, as Kimberly Akimbo played its first performance after winning Best Musical at the 2023 Tony Awards. The cast and creative team took the stage following the show for a very special anagram, and to take a moment to celebrate everyone who made the show, from its Tony-winning stars and writers to everyone behind the scenes. Watch 2023 Tony winner Victoria Clark lead the festivities above.
"I have to thank you guys. Our audiences have been so tremendous," said Clark. "You have stuck by us from all the way back to the time at the Atlantic Theater [where the work made its world premiere in 2021]. You never let us down. Our fans are the best fans in the world. You stuck with us in the winter doldrums. In the crazy, cold weather, you were here. You were cheering us on. You believed in our story. You loved us. You supported us through social media, through notes at the stage door, through talking to us on the street. We feel that. We feel your support, and we know that you love our story as much as we do."
And the feelings were mutual. "We love you!," responded a passionate audience member.
READ: Bonnie Milligan On What Her Tony Win Means for Body Positivity on Broadway
See photos from the evening below:
Fernell Hogan, Nina White, Bonnie Milligan, Justin Cooley, Victoria Clark, Alli Mauzey, Jim Hogan, Olivia Elease Hardy, and Michael Iskander
David Lindsay-Abaire and Bonnie Milligan
Victoria Clark
Victoria Clark
Company of Kimberly Akimbo
Company of Kimberly Akimbo
Company of Kimberly Akimbo
Jeanine Tesori, David Lindsay-Abaire, and company of Kimberly Akimbo with their Tony Award for Best Musical
Best Musical, the most coveted award at the Tonys, was one of five categories the production took June 11, also winning for its score, by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire; book, by Lindsay-Abaire; featured actress for Bonnie Milligan; and leading actress for Clark. See the full list of this year's Tony winners here.
With music by Tesori and a book and lyrics by Lindsay-Abaire adapted from his play, Kimberly Akimbo follows Kimberly, a bright New Jersey teenager with an aging disease that makes her look like a 72-year-old lady even though she's just 16.
Directed by Jessica Stone and featuring choreography by Danny Mefford, the production began performances at Broadway's Booth Theatre October 12, 2022, and officially opened November 10 after a world premiere run Off-Broadway in 2021 via Atlantic Theater Company. Read the reviews for the Broadway bow here.
The complete Off-Broadway cast transferred with the musical to Broadway, led by Tony winner Clark in the title role. Also starring are Justin Cooley in his Broadway debut, Steven Boyer (Hand to God), Alli Mauzey (Cry Baby, Wicked), 2023 Tony winner Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels), and Fernell Hogan (The Prom), plus Olivia Elease Hardy, Michael Iskander, and Nina White.
Rounding out the company as understudies are Colleen Fitzpatrick, Jim Hogan, Betsy Morgan, Skye Alyssa Friedman, Miguel Gil, and Alex Vinh.
Stone's creative team also includes music director Chris Fenwick, orchestrator John Clancy (with additional orchestrations by Macy Schmidt), scenic designer David Zinn, costume designer Sarah Laux, lighting designer Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, sound designer Kai Harada, projection designer Lucy MacKinnon, and wig, hair, and make-up designer J. Jared Janas. The production is cast by The Telsey Office's Craig Burns.
Visit KimberlyAkimboTheMusical.com.
Nina White, Michael Iskander, Fernell Hogan, and Olivia Hardy in Kimberly Akimbo
Alli Mauzey and Victoria Clark in Kimberly Akimbo
Victoria Clark and Justin Cooley in Kimberly Akimbo
Justin Cooley in Kimberly Akimbo
Michael Iskander, Justin Cooley, Victoria Clark, Nina White, Olivia Hardy, and Fernell Hogan in Kimberly Akimbo
Victoria Clark and Justin Cooley in Kimberly Akimbo
Alli Mauzey in Kimberly Akimbo
Bonnie Milligan in Kimberly Akimbo
Victoria Clark and Steven Boyer in Kimberly Akimbo
Victoria Clark and Alli Mauzey in Kimberly Akimbo
Victoria Clark in Kimberly Akimbo
Victoria Clark, Justin Cooley, Michael Iskander, Olivia Hardy, Nina White, and Fernell Hogan in Kimberly Akimbo
Nina White, Bonnie Milligan, Fernell Hogan, Michael Iskander, and Olivia Hardy in Kimberly Akimbo
Victoria Clark, Justin Cooley, and Steven Boyer in Kimberly Akimbo
Alli Mauzey, Victoria Clark, and Steven Boyer in Kimberly Akimbo
The company of Kimberly Akimbo
Victoria Clark in Kimberly Akimbo
