With five Tony awards, including Best Musical, the show tells an inspiring story with themes of grief, family and resilience.

Kimberly Akimbo, played by Carolee Carmello follows a New Jersey teenager with a fictional condition that mimics progeria, a rare disease that causes rapid aging that makes her appear 72 years old despite being only 16. The musical is adapted from the 2000 play of the same name.

Through a house-shaped cutout that framed the stage, set changes transported us to Kimberly’s home, school, the local ice skating rink, the car and back.

The set design of the house felt like watching a classic sitcom, minus the TV screen. The ice skating rink captured exactly how it feels to live in a small town without much to do. Details like the letter ‘R’ fallen down on a sign in the rink and the power lines overhead also worked together to set the audience in the small New Jersey town.

Despite featuring only nine cast members, slow moments were few, and the stage rarely felt empty and never lacked an entertaining persona.

When the curtain rises we are open to Skater Planet, an ice skating rink in the city of New Jersey where the musical takes place, we are welcomed to six tenneages.

Delia (Grace Capeless), Martin (Darron Hayes), Teresa (Skye Alyssa Friedman), and Aaron (Pierce Wheeler) , a close-knit group of friends in show choir. They demonstrate their show choir prowess through their harmonious performance in “Skater Planet” and maintain their vocal and ironic chemistry throughout the entire show.

Another integral performance to the show is Seth, one of Kimberly’s classmates, played by Miguel Gil. With his tuba not far away, Seth goes from school with Kimberly to his job at Skater Planet, and spends his free time creating anagrams. His quirky and outgoing personality spreads a contagious smile throughout the audience, and also brings him closer to Kimberly.

Buddy, portrayed by Jim Hogan, is Kimberly’s father, who grapples with alcoholism. While he appears to care for Kimberly in “Happy for Her”—taking her and Seth to school and making efforts to turn his life around—he ultimately reverts to his old habits. Hogan’s raw portrayal of  addiction captures its unpredictability and leaves with his sharp and impactful remarks leaving a strong impression on the audience, evident through their vocal reactions.

Kimberly’s mom, Pattie (Dana Steingold), uses sarcasm and provocative behavior as she’s pregnant with her second child, leaving Kimberly feeling uncared for. Steingold delivers comic relief effortlessly while managing numerous props, yet her expressive body language ensures the emotional undercurrents of her character are still deeply felt.

In a moment of both comic relief and plot complication, Kimberly’s aunt Debra, played by Emily Koch, attempts to rope Kim and her friends into her most recent scheme during the song “Better.” After crawling through the kitchen window to the surprise of Kimberly’s parents, Debra is seen carrying chemicals and lugging a blue USPS mailbox down to the basement.

Koch’s performance was humorous and relatable, because everyone has known someone as unhinged and unbothered as Debra at some point in their lives.

Special touches on stage helped the musical maintain a fun atmosphere amongst the darker themes within the show. Snowfall and ice-skating on stage were highlights that brought out a playful side of the show.

After Kimberly’s health scare at family dinner, she realizes she doesn’t know what’s next for her. Determined to search for her “Great Adventure,” she decides to leave behind what she knows to pursue what she truly wants, accompanied by Seth, who helped her uncover her true ambitions. This life-altering decision inspires each character to embark on their own journey, ultimately leading them to discover their own “Great Adventure.”

Kimberly Akimbo will be playing at ASU Gammage until Dec. 8, you can purchase tickets here.