Interview: Miguel Gil of KIMBERLY AKIMBO at The Fox Theatre

Miguel Gil stars as Seth in the national tour of KIMBERLY AKIMBO, the Tony Award-winning musical making its Atlanta debut at the Fox Theatre as part of the 2025 – 2026 Regions Bank Broadway in Atlanta season from October 14th – 19th. I caught up with Miguel to talk about his journey from Orlando to Broadway, his experience with the show, and what audiences can expect when Kimberly and her friends and family arrive in Atlanta.

BWW: Miguel, thanks so much for taking time to speak with me. I’m really excited to hear more about you, KIMBERLY AKIMBO, and its Atlanta run at The Fox!

Miguel Gil: Yeah, me too. Me too, man.

To start, let’s talk about your journey into theatre. How did you get started in the business?

Growing up, my parents, neither of them are artists really. So, this whole thing was kind of unknown territory for all of us. I always liked singing. Growing up, my mom used to call me a walking jukebox because anytime we were in the car, I would pretend I was in a music video and somehow know all the words to the songs. I grew up involved in choir and singing in different places like church and stuff like that. It was a natural progression to go from choir to doing a musical in middle school. At first, I was begrudgingly doing it because it was something cool. Honestly, I was not sold. Then I got to high school and again, I was in the same circles. I was a technician for a musical— WHITE CHRISTMAS at my high school—and the theater director was like, “Hey, audition for this next show we're doing. Just try it out and see if you like it. You don't have to do it if you don't want to, but just audition.” So, I auditioned, and it was THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. I got to play the Chip cover and I got to go on for a show as Chip. Up to that point, I didn't know that I could be in a musical, that I could be the goofball, the class clown, and all of that on stage and make people laugh, but also feel like I'm doing something that I feel is actually funny. That was kind of game-changing in the sense of the fun that could be had. From there on I was like, wait, I'm going to keep searching into this.

Later on in high school, I got to do a few things like Thespians, which was really big in Florida—and the Applause Awards. Getting to watch my peers and kids I didn't even know give a level of commitment that was moving as an audience member... I couldn't really wrap my head around how they were able to feel and emote and be in these positions as these characters. That kind of changed the game for me. It made a new goal that I wanted to reach. That was the big moment I was like, all right, I'm going to do this for a living. After that, I got to go to the Jimmy Awards. As soon as I discovered they were a thing, that was my dream as a high schooler. I saw Andrew Barth Feldman when I was a sophomore and I was like, that is peak. So, then I made it a goal to work really hard and then COVID happened. I got really lucky because I got to sing the song I'd been preparing for all my college auditions. It was the song that I felt really passionate about and comfortable doing.

My school did a few productions, but they were all distant and people couldn't even come see them for the most part. The Jimmy Awards experience was really great, and it opened so many doors for me. It let me audition for KIMBERLY when it was off Broadway and it gave me that in. Then I went to college for a year at Shenandoah Conservatory for musical theater. After a year I got another callback for the Broadway production of KIMBERLY, and I got it. I was the cover for the three guys for that year and that whole production and experience totally changed the game for me. It taught me so much about what the next level can be—not just in an acting way, but also in a professional way of working every day on this.

So, you auditioned and got called to cover for Broadway. How did you turn that into this current opportunity?

That whole experience was my first professional job ever. I was 19 when I started and I was so afraid. I was so anxious every day. I just left school where I was studying Victoria Clark and Jeanine Tesori, and now I have to be sharing a collaborative space with them. That was super intimidating for me. I didn't know how to talk about things. I didn't know how to read a script and analyze a scene or any of that stuff. I realized right away that this was not going to be easy. It was going to take so much work, and I was down for it. I made it a goal to never stop trying to make this better.

As the cover, I couldn't have asked for a better way to start because I had the safety of not having to try it in front of an audience every time at the beginning. In some ways it was scarier because of that. I went on during all of the first week of opening as Aaron, one of the ensemble. That was the most jarring experience ever, because I hadn't gotten a put-in yet and it was like, boom, I'm on and I haven't even really rehearsed. I had to translate what I'd seen onto the stage. Thankfully it wasn't for Seth, who is a much bigger role. I felt really supported by everybody in the company, thankfully, and they saw me trying to improve and work on that growth and figure out what acting even is and how to do these things. I feel really lucky to have gotten the opportunity to, now, after having that year-long experience, take the reins and have a rehearsal process and come into this now as the lead knowing that I'm going to be OK—or at least trusting that someday it'll be OK.

Let’s talk about KIMBERLY AKIMBO. For readers who may not be familiar, how would you describe the show?

It follows Kim, who is 16 years old, but has a rare aging disorder that makes her age four times faster than she should. With this disease, the usual life expectancy is 16 years old, and you meet her at a point where she is anticipating her 16th birthday that's coming up. Her family is really dysfunctional in a lot of ways and they're all basically trying to figure out and cope with this imminent mortality—all while dealing with a first crush and a crazy aunt and trying to get to the next place. I always describe it as a dark coming-of-age comedy. It's like the movie Little Miss Sunshine, something that's so messed up in a lot of ways, but so moving and somehow hilarious. That's kind of how, without giving out any plot, I would describe it. It also makes you feel and remember how it felt to have a bunch of firsts and how it felt to be 16. It deals with the idea of mortality in a really beautiful way. And it's a story of friendship.

How long have you been on tour with KIMBERLY AKIMBO?

Just over a year. I think it's been a year and a month almost.

Let’s talk about Seth. What’s he like? Is there anyone in particular that inspired your portrayal?

Seth has some really key lines that reveal who he is. One of those lines is he's making an anagram for Kim and she's like, “Why don't you just use a computer program?” And he's like, “Yeah, I could, but I don't like to cheat. It destroys the challenge.” He's the kind of guy who's just honest in every way. Sometimes his honesty is him trying to figure out how to navigate a situation, but at the end of the day, he's a good kid. He loves D&D and making people laugh. It's really a joy to get to play him because he's somebody I wish I had as a friend in high school. Some of the things I channel or that really inspire me are the show Freaks and Geeks—it is such an inspiration for the vibes. It's cool because every night it feels like I'm able to walk into something that's fresh and real because the script is so good.

This is a small cast, I imagine that’s created some unique opportunities to bond together.

It definitely has. For example, Jim, who plays Buddy, Darron, who plays Martin, Emily who plays Aunt Debra, and Skye who plays Teresa—all five of us were understudies on Broadway, and at this point we've all been friends for over three years. On Broadway we shared a dressing room together. So yeah, these people have been a part of my life now for a long time. Also, my tour friends—we've gotten really close. It really feels like a family and it's fun to have that level of trust. The great thing is we all really love this show, so every night getting to do it feels consistently great. These are some really great people.

Speaking of being on tour, what do you feel is the best and worst part of being on tour?

The best part is the adventures we get to go on—meeting people from different areas and getting a taste of what the culture is like in each place, hearing interesting stories of their lives, and finding different establishments and places that are part of cities we wouldn't visit in our normal day-to-day. The hardest part is creating a healthy and consistent routine. Some cities I won't have a kitchen, so I have to figure out how I'm going to eat, or no gym, or the gym has barely any equipment. Every city I have to figure out a new system of how I want to operate. It's different having work friends and then home friends—going home to your family after work. I miss some of that, having my work friends and then my home friends.

Have you ever been to the Fox Theatre in Atlanta?

I've never been to The Fox, but I have been to Atlanta once before. I spent one New Year's in Atlanta and did the whole Coca-Cola Museum and the Aquarium—just the basic stuff, but it was really fun.

Is there a moment in the show you look forward to most each night?

Yeah, there's a few things. For scenes, I'm always looking forward to doing this really fun locker scene with Kim where she offers to do something really vulnerable for her. I have this awesome monologue that's so fun to do every time. It's that feeling of talking about kissing someone for the first time and not really knowing how to handle it or properly express your feelings.

There are other fun moments in the show—we get to ice skate for one number and that's really fun. I also get to play the tuba, and I'm always looking forward to those things.

Did you play the tuba before, or did you learn for the show?

Nope. I learned through the show. Unfortunately, I don't get much time with it, so I truly only know the amount of tuba that I play in the show.

As a young performer yourself, what advice do you have for others looking to get into the theater world?

Something I've learned so far are the three most important things going into any audition, rehearsal, or show: first, bring a good work ethic, be relaxed, have fun, keep cool, and know your stuff. Second, learn your stuff as much as you can to the fullest degree, then have an idea of what you want to do within that, and allow it to become something else. And third, let the whole thing go. Those are the three things I always try to remind myself of. Other than that, if somebody is even considering being an artist, find a source of inspiration. Find a reason why you like it, why you want to do it—or don't, and just do it for fun.

Is there a dream role you’d like to play one day?

Definitely. I mean, I'd love to do any role in HAMILTON, but Philip is somebody who I'm like, wait, I could do Philip. That's a dream role.

KIMBERLY AKIMBO runs at the Fox Theatre Tuesday, October 14th through Sunday, October 19th as part of the 2025/2026 Regions Bank Broadway in Atlanta season. Tickets are available at the Fox Theatre box office at 660 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30308 and by visiting https://foxtheatre.org/kimberlyakimbo or by calling (855)-285-8499. Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling the Fox Theatre at (855)-285-8499. Performances are Tuesday, October 14th – Thursday, October 16th at 7:30PM, Friday, October 17th at 8PM, Saturday, October 18th at 2PM and 8PM, and Sunday, October 19th at 1:00PM and 6:30PM.

Lead Photo: Miguel Gil in the National Tour of KIMBERLY AKIMBO, photo by Joan Marcus

Top Photo: Miguel Gil

Mid Photo 1: The National Touring Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO, photo by Joan Marcus

Mid Photo 2: Miguel Gil in the National Tour of KIMBERLY AKIMBO, photo by Joan Marcus

Mid Photo 3: The National Touring Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO, photo by Joan Marcus