‘Kimberly Akimbo’ Inspires Audiences To Live Life To The Fullest

Grace Capeless portrays Delia in “Kimberly Akimbo.” Photo provided by Broadway in Chicago.
Grace Capeless portrays Delia in “Kimberly Akimbo.” Photo provided by Broadway in Chicago.

‘Kimberly Akimbo’ Inspires Audiences To Live Life To The Fullest

By Tia Carol Jones

Grace Capeless started working in theatre when she was young. At age 8, she booked her first Broadway show. Theatre was a big and important part of her upbringing and her family. Her parents met doing a show. She knew she wanted to do theatre when she saw a production of “Godspell” and she immediately fell in love with it. When she found out there was an open call for the show, she begged her parents to let her audition.

Capeless plays Delia McDaniels in Kimberly Akimbo. The show will be at the CIBC Theatre until June 22nd.

The musical follows Kimberly, a teenager who has just moved to a new town and has a rare aging disorder. “Kimberly Akimbo” premiered at the South Coast Reparatory in Costa Mesa, Calif. in 2001 and opened at the Booth Theatre on Broadway in 2022. The Broadway production of the play won five Tony awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Leading Actress in a Musical and Best Featured Actress in a Musical. 

“It’s a coming-of-age story, a feel-good show. It’s very funny, but it’s also deeply moving and very emotional and it’s a great reflection on life and the challenges that come with life. It has an important lesson, that you have to live life to its fullest and take advantage of every day,” Capeless said.

Delia is one of Kimberly’s high school friends, who is part of a show choir. Capeless described Delia as the leader of the group of Kimberly’s four friends, a go getter, who wants the best for her friends. She said that Delia is a perfectionist, she loves theatre, her friends and singing, which Capeless sees as similarities. Capeless said to prepare for her role, she and the rest of the cast worked with the original cast. They also had to have ice skating training at an ice rink to prepare for the ice skating that is in the production.

Capeless said her favorite number is the song at the beginning of Act II. She said the song is really fun. She said there is a moment in Act II that shows Kimberly being a symbol of doing things, even when afraid and lead with positivity and love. She said she hopes that people who come to see the show are taken back to a time when they were in high school. She said it is a great reminder of the excitement, awkwardness and intense feelings most people felt when they were in high school.

“I hope people really resonate with that and remember that life is so fragile and all those little moments that feel so intense and scary end up being some of the most special and groundbreaking moments in our life and huge learning lessons. I hope audiences are reminded of that and really have a positive experience at the show,” she said. Capeless also wants people to remember to take advantage of every day, because people only get one opportunity to live life to the fullest.

Capeless said the cast is awesome. She said there is a lot of love in the cast, which she said translates into the work and the show. She said it is a special show.

For more information about Kimberly Akimbo, visit kimberlyakimbothemusical.com. For tickets to Kimberly Akimbo, visit www.broadwayinchicago.com/shows/kimberly-akimbo.

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