Is there an Anagram for Living?
Reviewed by Mary Alderson
A fascinating musical is now on stage at Toronto’s CAA Theatre. Kimberly Akimbo has both drama and humour, and a most usual premise, guaranteed to capture your interest.
Being the new girl in high school is never easy, but Kimberly also has a much bigger burden in her quest for friendship and popularity. She has a disease that causes her to age rapidly. At age 15, she looks like a 70 year old woman. She must also deal with the knowledge that most people with this disorder die at age 16.
On top of this, Kimberly comes from a tough background. Her father drinks too much, and he and her mother fight a lot. Mom is pregnant with casts on both arms following surgery for carpel tunnel. Her aunt just got out of prison and has arrived at their home.
But things might be looking up at school. A boy wants to be friends and work on a school project about her disease with her. Four other students who are in show choir also become friends. When Aunt Debra comes up with a new fraudulent scheme, the six students get sucked in to help her, in their desire to make money to buy new costumes for their show choir.
Many questions arise. What happens if they get caught working for Aunt Debra? Will they all go to jail? Is Mom worried about having a baby with the same disease as Kim? Why did they have to move to this town so suddenly? Will Dad quit drinking as promised? And will the swear jar get the family to stop using the f-word? No spoilers here; you’ll have to see the show.
Louise Pitre, Canada’s esteemed Grande Dame of Theatre, plays the role of 15-year-old Kimberly. (Even if you don’t know Louise Pitre’s name, you’ve seen her on stage. She had the starring role of Donna in the Toronto, Broadway and US touring company casts of Mamma Mia!, she was Fantine in Les Misérables (Toronto, Montreal and Paris), the title character in Edith Piaf, Mama Rose in Gypsy (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) and Joanne in Company, to name a few.) Wikipedia tells me she is only 69, so she is perhaps not quite old enough for the title of Grande Dame, but she certainly deserves it for her experience and stature.
She is absolutely convincing as a 15-year-old girl, just turning 16. She nervously bites her fingernails and twitches in her chair. She sasses her parents, sounding like a typical teenager. At the same time, she is the adult in the household, trying to smooth things over in her very dysfunctional family. For example, it is left up to her to apply to the Make a Wish Foundation; the family doesn’t do it for her.
Tess Benger plays Kimberly’s mother. She puts on a show of being concerned about her daughter, but in fact is a very selfish woman. Benger demonstrates the narcissistic behaviour subtly. Cyrus Lane is Buddy, Kimberly’s father, unable to hold a job with his drinking problem. Like his wife, he is always putting himself first, never caring about his daughter. As Aunt Debra, Kristen Peace gives us a snapshot of a person who thinks only of herself, not considering the harm she may cause others.
Benger, Lane and Peace are sometimes humorous, sometimes frustrating. They are bad parents setting terrible examples for a teenager. Yet all three manage to embody the role and let the audience know that they aren’t all bad. They manage to convey that despite their poor attitudes, there is still some good in them.
Kimberly’s new friend Seth is played by Thomas Winiker. He nails the role of an awkward teenager, sharing his love of anagrams with Kimberly. (By the way, the anagram for Kimberly Levaco is Cleverly Akimbo. Thus, the name of the show is a combination.)
The other four students are all excellent in their roles. In fact, each part in the show has been expertly cast. They are all extraordinary singers, giving the right inflection and emphasis to the astute lyrics of all 19 songs.
Like all kids, Kimberly wants to go on a road trip holiday. She makes the urgency clear. And suddenly you realize that she probably has only another year to live. Yes, getting to Disney World or the area amusement park is urgent. A very poignant moment is created when the audience digests this sad news.
This sweet and funny show won five Tony awards in 2022, including best musical, and it’s easy to see why. Take the time to enjoy this quirky story. Despite its depressing premise, you’ll find yourself laughing, and loving the characters. How can such a charming story be told by a dying person and her drunk, dishonest, uncaring family?
Kimberly Akimbo continues with eight shows a week at the CAA Theatre, 651 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario until February 8, 2026. For tickets, visit www.mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333 for more information.
Photo: Louise Pitre as Kimberly, centre, and the cast of Kimberly Akimbo. Photo by Emelia Hellman.
Kimberly Akimbo
Books and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire
Music by Jeanine Tesori
Directed by Robert McQueen
Musical Direction by Chris Barillaro
Choreography by Allison Plamondon
Performed by Louise Pitre, Tess Benger, Jake Cohen, Kyle Jonathon, Cyrus Lane, Taylor Lovelace, Luca McPhee, Kristen Peace, Thomas Winiker.
CAA Theatre, 651Yonge Street, Toronto
January 15 to February 8, 2026
Reviewed by Mary Alderson