Broadway Breakdown Podcast: KIMBERLY AKIMBO with Dad

Host: Matt Koplik
Guest: Peter Koplik (Matt’s father)
Date: March 23, 2023

Episode Overview

In this episode, Matt welcomes back his frequently-requested father, Peter, for a deep-dive (and plenty of banter) into Broadway’s Kimberly Akimbo. The dad-and-son duo discuss the musical’s themes, its characters—especially its complicated family dynamic—and the show’s unique bittersweet tone. The episode is as much a heartfelt analysis of the musical and its craft as it is a showcase of their infectious family rapport and love of theater.

Main Themes

• Realism and optimism in the face of mortality
• Messy families and loving flawed people
• Choosing life (“get busy living, or get busy dying”)
• The power and challenge of telling story through song
• How Kimberly Akimbo balances humor and heartbreak

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal History with Kimberly Akimbo

[02:07]

• Peter saw Kimberly Akimbo for the first time a few days before recording and listened to the cast recording at Matt’s insistence, noting how hearing the lyrics again was a huge help for comprehension.
• Matt, a self-proclaimed superfan, has seen the show four times and adores it:

  “The ultimate reason it’s a good show, why you should think it’s a good show, is that I am telling you it’s good. And I have extraordinary taste.” (Matt, 03:23)

2. Plot Breakdown & Character Analysis

[04:59]

• Kimberly: A 16-year-old with a fictional condition causing her to age four to five times faster—she looks elderly, life expectancy about 16.

• The show is more about character development than plot—central heist occurs offstage.

• Kimberly’s parents: Both emotionally stunted from having her as teens, self-centered yet not entirely hopeless.

  “They make an effort to be better, but they’re not able.” (Peter, 08:31)

• Patty (Kimberly’s mother): Narcissistic, delusional, believes herself ill/dying, records a legacy video for her yet-to-be-born child.

  “She has protagonist syndrome, which is what I call how we all go about our lives… But Patty thinks that she is, you know, Fosca in passion and has all of the ailments.” (Matt, 10:24)

• Buddy (Kimberly’s dad): Alcoholic and flaky, but more earnest in his love, though his efforts often fail tragically.

  “He thought he was about to come through for her for once. And he yet again fucked up.” (Matt, 41:08)

3. Differences Between Play & Musical Adaptation

[08:46]

• The original David Lindsay-Abaire play was meaner; Tesori’s adaptation offers more humanity and hope.

4. Victoria Clark’s Performance as Kimberly

[17:06]

• Both Matt and Peter praise Clark’s skill at “acting the song.”

  “Listening to the cast recording drove home to me how well everyone in the cast, but particularly Victoria Clark, acts the songs.” (Peter, 17:13)

• Clark must balance playing a 16-year-old’s spirit in a senior’s body, using both voice and mannerisms.

  “There are times you can hear the 16-year-old inflection. But she’s still in an older body. She’s got to sound old sometimes… I think that’s very smart.” (Matt, 35:48)

5. The Score & Its Layers

[13:43, 16:06]

• Tesori’s vocal arrangements are a standout, especially for the “show choir” ensemble.

• The cast recording yields new details even for attentive theatergoers.

  “There are so many nuances to this score, both in the lyrics and in the fucking harmonies. The vocal arrangements for this show are goddamn fire.” (Matt, 15:17)

6. Favorite & Notable Songs

a) “This Time”

• A pivotal Act 1 song where each character expresses hope, though their pattern of disappointment persists.

  “It’s the first moment in the show where Kimberly is actually joyful… the joy of it makes me really happy. And I cry knowing it’s not going to go as planned.” (Matt, 45:03)

• Compared to “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret.

b) “Make a Wish”

• The “I Want” song, modeled on the Disney tradition. Kimberly’s wishes reveal her yearning for normalcy and beauty.

  “She just wants to live like a normal family for a day. My god, I get teary just thinking about it.” (Matt, 58:44)

c) “Better”

• Aunt Debra’s comedic and slightly profane anthem about survival and “making your shitty life better.”

  “When life gives you lemons… you gotta go out and steal some apples. Cause who the fuck wants lemonade?” (Matt quoting the song, 52:35)

d) “Our Disease”

• Kimberly’s vulnerable science class presentation, climaxing in the powerful lyric:

  “Getting older is my affliction. Getting older is your cure.” (Victoria Clark as Kimberly, ~101:16)

• Matt describes a collective audible “gut punch” gasp from the audience each time.

e) “Great Adventure” (Finale)

• Ends not in tragedy, but in a moment of possibility as Kimberly and Seth “see the world.”

7. On Bitter Comedy, Flawed Love & Uplift

[62:56, 63:00, 68:48]

• The show is “about a lot of really broken people trying to do better, and a lot of them unable for a very long period of time.”
• “People can love you and still hurt you”—sometimes by accident, sometimes not.
• Growth is subtle: “No one is fixed at the end. Nobody has done a total 180. But there is a chance for everyone to get better.”

8. Reflecting on Reception & Accessibility

[73:34, 74:57]

• Matt tries to convince his 99-year-old grandmother to see the show, reassuring her it’s not as bleak as it sounds. Peter reflects that the finale is quietly uplifting, not manipulative or saccharine.

9. Tesori’s Genius & Genre Fluidity

[93:47, 95:00]

• Matt asserts Tesori is “the greatest living musical theater composer,” citing her range (Violet, Caroline, or Change, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Fun Home, Shrek).
• The musical features 70s funk, 90s indie-pop, actable ballads, and signature bittersweet finales.

  “Her music is so actable… There’s a drive to it.” (Matt, 95:53)

10. Final Judgements & Who Should See Kimberly Akimbo

[115:19]

• Peter:

  “It’s touching, it’s musically brilliant, and it’s a great example of telling a story with songs, which is difficult to do, often tried, rarely succeeds. It’s good enough and rare enough to make it worth going out of your way.” (115:19)

• Matt:

  “I can objectively tell you, it’s a well crafted show. You may not like it… but it’s objectively well done, it’s fantastically acted, it’s got Victoria Clark—who, I’m sorry children, you need to watch and learn from.” (118:44)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Matt: “Extraordinary is distinct from good.” (03:43)
• Peter: “Be here now. Don’t just mail it in or pretend you’re listening... If you’re going to do it, do it.” (49:27)
• Peter: “Empathy is rarely a prominent quality in teenagers.” (67:19)
• Matt: “The show is not hateful. The show is about a lot of really broken people trying to do better.” (89:07)
• Peter: “The show ends with her joy. She has the capacity for joy, and that’s rare.” (103:57)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Plot & Character Setup: 04:59 – 13:00
• Acting & Vocal Performance (Victoria Clark): 16:55 – 23:50
• Score & Recording Insights: 13:43 – 16:06; 53:09
• Favorite Songs Discussion (“This Time”, “Make a Wish”, “Better”): 43:32 – 45:28, 54:59 – 57:43
• Emotional & Thematic Analysis: 58:44 – 68:48
• Show’s Comedy & Uplift: 74:57 – 77:07
• Janine Tesori’s Range & Finale Analysis: 93:47 – 109:50
• Final Thoughts – Who Should See the Show & Why: 115:19 – 118:44

Conclusion

Matt and Peter Koplik’s Kimberly Akimbo episode is hilarious, warm, and deeply insightful—a spirited defense and celebration of a musical that embraces bittersweet messiness and finds profound optimism in everyday struggle. They encourage anyone—especially those wary of “sad” shows—to see Kimberly Akimbo for its humor, heart, and unique “uplift.”

“People regret they didn’t do it sooner… But you ask yourself, how many times before it’s enough? And Kimberly is the one who finally cuts the ties, not her parents.” (Matt, 70:18)

In short: Go see Kimberly Akimbo. Laugh. Cry. Take in Victoria Clark’s masterclass. And then live life—akimbo.