Kimberly Akimbo

A

David Lindsay-Abaire (Good People, Rabbit Hole, Fuddy Meers) and Jeanine Tesori (Caroline, or Change; Fun Home, Violet) have joined forces to turn his early dark comedy into a musical. I am happy to report that the result, now in previews at Atlantic Theater Company, is thoroughly satisfying. Although Kimberly (Victoria Clark; The Light in the Piazza, Sister Act) is just turning 16, a rare illness has aged her at 4 1/2 times normal speed, so she has the mind of a teenager in the body of a 70-year-old. She is further saddled with a dysfunctional family — an alcoholic father, Buddy (Steven Boyer; Hand to God, The Explorers Club), a narcissistic hypochondriac pregnant mother, Pattie (Alli Mauzy; Cry Baby, Wicked) and Debra (Bonnie Milligan; Head over Heels, Gigantic), her sociopathic ex-con aunt. At her New Jersey high school, she forms a friendship with Seth (Justin Cooley), a nerd with a fondness for anagrams. We also meet two mismatched pairs of fellow students — Delia (Olivia Elease Hardy), Martin (Fernell Hogan II; The Prom), Teresa (Nina White) and Aaron (Michael Iskander). All five principals have at least one song that develops their characters. The other songs are all well-integrated into the book to move the plot along. We learn why Kimberly’s family had to move away from Secaucus in the middle of the night. Debra stirs things up with a plan to make some fast money. There is much reason to laugh, but a realization that an underlying sadness is rarely far away. Ms. Clark is, not surprisingly, excellent but Ms.Milligan almost steals the show with her larger-than-life performance. The young actors portraying the sidekicks are all fine. The choreography by Danny Mefford (Fun Home, Dear Evan Hansen) includes a clever ice skating number. David Zinn’s (Fun Home, Choir Boy) unit set effortlessly transforms to several locations. The costumes by Sarah Laux (The Band’s Visit, The Humans) befit the characters well. The direction by Jessica Stone (Dancing at Lughnasa, Absurd Person Singular) is smooth and assured. All in all, it’s a rare treat. It received a standing ovation, which I have not seen before at the Linda Gross Theater. (Running time: 2 1/2 hours including intermission.)