Interview: OLT's Chelsey Prince and Christian Giansante Talk About KIMBERLY AKIMBO
The show runs from April 1 to 18, 2026 at Ottawa Little Theatre.
Ottawa Little Theatre’s presentation of Kimberly Akimbo kicks off tonight. Written by David Lindsay-Abaire, Kimberly Akimbo tells the story of a teenager battling a rare disease that makes her age five times faster than the average person, while trying to navigate life with a hypochondriac mother, an alcoholic father and all the trials and tribulations of high school. Even though it might sound depressing, the show is a comedy, full of heart and humour. Christian Giansante, Director, Promotions and Publicity, and Chelsey Prince, the Director of Kimberly Akimbo, were kind enough to share some insight into this production.
Kimberly Akimbo has an unusual plot, containing multiple characters with deep flaws, who are hard to love. What about the story inspired OLT to select this show?
CG: Ultimately it came down to the heart of the show and the fact that while these characters are flawed, they are still relatable to today's audiences. We are also always looking to keep our season diverse when it comes to what we program, and this story just struck a chord with us, and it felt like something our audiences would find different but ultimately enjoy.
What were your biggest challenges in staging this production and how did you overcome those obstacles?
CP: Staging a play that takes place in multiple locations (including in a car) is always a challenge. We looked at many options and decided a moving set would provide us with the flexibility we would need location-wise, while still maintaining a smooth flow of action the play needs to best tell the story.
With no absence of local talent, Ottawa's community theatres are increasingly challenging themselves by putting on more elaborate, complex, shows with more difficult or thought-provoking themes. What is driving this ambition among Ottawa's creative community?
CP: I can't speak for the whole community, but I can say that when I'm looking at potential projects, I look for a script that I connect with, and pieces that will be fun to create. As you say, we have a ton of really talented people in town to collaborate with, so why not take on material that pushes our abilities and inspires us to try new techniques or tackle new themes? I'm grateful to be working with this incredibly creative cast and crew.
Kimberly Akimbo had a relatively recent run on Broadway where it received five Tony awards in 2023; it also appeared on stage this winter at Montreal's Segal Centre and Mirvish in Toronto. Why do you think the show resonates so much with both audiences and critics?
CP: The musical version has definitely been popular! The version we are presenting is the straight play. Both the play and musical were written by David Lindsay-Abaire, with the play pre-dating the musical by twenty years. The play has fewer characters than the musical and sometimes takes a darker approach to the same material, but it has the same heart.
There are many themes within Kimberly Akimbo. What one message do you want audiences to take away from the show?
CP: It's never too late to start living the life you want.
See Kimberly Akimbo on stage at Ottawa Little Theatre through April 18, 2026. Tickets are available at the link below or click here for more information.
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