Actress Ruth Reid plays the role of a 16-year-old girl in the body of a 70-year-old woman in David Lindsay-Abaire's comedy "Kimberly Akimbo," running from March 4-28 at The Schoolhouse Theater in Croton Falls.
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CROTON FALLS, NY – “Kimberly Akimbo,” an absurdly hilarious comedy by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, opens at The Schoolhouse Theater on March 4 and runs through March 28. The play will be directed by Raymond Munro.
“Kimberly Akimbo” is the story of a New Jersey girl who is aging almost 4 1/2 times faster than normal and at Sweet 16 is trapped inside the body of a 70-year-old. Almost as terrifying as her disease is the possibility of her first kiss. Kimberly may be physically older than her parents, but she is light years ahead of them in every other way, and her abnormally accelerated physical growth is matched by the declining maturity of her highly dysfunctional family. In this shrewd satire, which won the 2001 Kesselring Prize, Lindsay-Abaire brilliantly mixes absurdity with realism, resulting in a heartfelt comedy with amazing dramatic depth.
According to director Munro, the play is “a 21st-century fairy tale set in New Jersey, with more than a little bit of Cinderella going on. It’s a wonderful example of the strength of comedy. All comedy, if you uncover it, has tragedy underneath it, but it’s the power and danger and truth of comedy that makes it funny.”
“The mom’s desire in the play to have the perfect child keeps her from actually seeing the child that she has,” adds Munro. “In our culture, striving for perfection often stops us from seeing special gifts and treasures for what they are.”
Schoolhouse veteran Ruth Reid plays the title role of Kimberly. Ms. Reid last appeared at the Schoolhouse two seasons ago in “Appointment with a High Wire Lady,” a three-person play about love, loss and memory, which was also directed by Munro.
“I’ve worked with Ruth before, and wanted to work with her on this because I knew she would ‘get’ the 16-year-old girl,” says Munro. “Plus she’s an attractive woman, which is important for the role.” He says the play deals with big issues about “what is age, the age of your body and how you feel inside.”
“Kimberly Akimbo” opens on Thursday, March 4 at 8 pm, with additional performances March 5-7, 11-14, 18-22 and 25-28. Tickets are $30 on Thursdays and Fridays, $32 on Saturdays and Sundays. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances are at 8pm. Sunday performances are at 4 pm.
The Schoolhouse is a unique setting for the arts in Westchester. Built in 1926, the brick building served as an active school until 1976. Galleries exhibit many fine local artists, while the theater, where every seat feels like a front-row-seat, accommodates audiences of less than 100. Theatergoers enjoy the intimate quality of the space, as well as the all-Equity casts who bring theatrical excellence and experience from Broadway to Croton Falls.
Over the years, The New York Times has called The Schoolhouse Theater “Westchester’s sole claim to consistent, professional theater, where people can see plays they are not likely to see elsewhere.” The Schoolhouse is a regional Equity theater, dedicated to presenting professional theatrical performances by award-winning playwrights.
The Schoolhouse is running a two-show subscription package for the remainder of the season’s shows at 15% off single-ticket prices. The final mainstage play of the season will be “The Imaginary Invalid,” a hilarious 17th-century play about a wealthy and miserable hypochondriac written by French comic master Moliere, which will run May 13 through June 6. “The Imaginary Invalid” will be directed by Schoolhouse artistic director Pamela Moller Kareman.
The Schoolhouse is located at 3 Owens Road, Croton Falls, NY, just off exit 8 on I-684. For information and tickets, call 914-277-8477. Visit the Schoolhouse on the web at www.schoolhousetheater.org.
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