Review: NEVER TOO LATE at Laurie Beechman Theatre

Never Too Late marks a milestone moment in the career of viral dance icon Kim Hale, who has inspired millions with her story of reconnecting with her love of dance later in life. Known to many as the 57-year-old dancing powerhouse who leapt into the internet spotlight mid-pandemic, Hale took center stage in a different way at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, by bringing her authenticity, humor, and heart to a live audience.

In this one-woman show, Hale steps boldly into her own narrative, blending comedy, confession, and choreography in a heartfelt celebration of resilience and rebirth. Never Too Late gives us a spirited reminder that it is the experience we gain and the people we meet on the journey toward pursuing our dreams that is the true gift.

Hale’s artistry, much like her social media presence, radiates authenticity. The ethos of the production derives from a phrase of encouragement she received in the form of a social media comment from Broadway director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell: “dreams have no deadlines.” 

Her journey toward achieving her dreams is one of self-permission: to return to the barre, to step into hip-hop classes decades into her career, to ask for the opportunity to attend that big audition, to share the messiness of evolution as much as the triumph. This isn’t about returning to what was; it’s about embodying what’s possible.

Photo Credit: Nicole Wilson @nicolewilsonnyc and @nicolewilsonphoto

Never Too Late

Directed and Choreographed by Kenny Ingram

Musical Direction/Arrangements: Harry Collins

Co-written by Kim Hale and Kenny Ingram

Hale’s entrance was pure showmanship. Popping out from the wings as a floating head with a beaming smile, she launches into a buoyant musical medley that includes a nod to Gypsy’s “Let Me Entertain You,” a tongue-in-cheek salute to her own status as a lifelong performer now stepping into a new act. As she made her way through the audience toward the stage, the tone was set: the night would be a love letter to dance, to perseverance, and to the possibility of new beginnings.

Hale’s movement vocabulary immediately showcased her dance roots: ballet, a blend of classic Fosse flair, Broadway jazz, and golden-age pizzazz. Yet threaded throughout the razzle-dazzle was Hale’s innate humor. As she joked about her viral fame and late-in-life stardom, it was apparent Hale’s comedic timing is as impressive as her grand battement. 

Early in the show, Hale revisited her first love: ballet. Moving through elegant classical ballet movement while using the piano as her barre, she weaves memory and motion to tell a story of how dance shaped her childhood.  In particular, she shares the moment dance was taken away from her as a disciplinary tool by her parents. 

Her storytelling here underscores a recurring motif: the tension between external limitation and inner desire. Throughout the show, Hale reflects on moments when others interrupted her pursuit: agents, family, or even her own self-doubt. Through this, the choreography takes on emotional weight, each movement a reclamation of ground once lost. 

Photo Credit: Nicole Wilson @nicolewilsonnyc and @nicolewilsonphoto

As we transition from Hale’s childhood to her young adulthood, Hale’s knack for comedic storytelling shines brightest. In a hilarious dance sequence recounting her early professional misadventures, she shares a story about the moment she dropped sheet music pages all over the floor during pre-production for the 1996 revival of Chicago the musical, which performer & choreographer Ann Reinking subsequently slipped on. Later, donning a brunette wig, she spoofs her stint “dancing for money” in New York City to pay rent, blending self-deprecating humor with tongue-in-cheek burlesque choreographic flair.

Yet, beneath the laughter lies a deeper truth: Hale’s career has never followed a linear path. Through choreography that spans genres, from jazz to ballet to street styles, she illustrates how reinvention has always been her artistic language. Her journey from performer to educator and back again is mirrored in the very fabric of the performance, where each transition feels like a new chapter rather than a detour.  The throughline is clear: dance is her compass.

Photo Credit: Nicole Wilson @nicolewilsonnyc and @nicolewilsonphoto

Hale also deftly weaves multimedia dance moments into the production, including highlight reels from her dance classes, creating a juxtaposition between the live and digital Kim Hale. Watching those clips projected mid-show felt like witnessing two Kims in dialogue: the grounded storyteller before us and the fearless, free dancer onscreen. Both serve the same message through different mediums: that the joy that comes from being authentically yourself is contagious, and reinvention is an act of courage.

Threaded between the show’s choreography are anecdotes and affirmations reminiscent of the inspiring messaging Hale shares with her online followers: age is just a number, be your authentic self, dreams don’t expire. One of the most beautiful takeaways from Hale’s production  is that it is often the people we meet along our journey who give us the encouragement, strength, and nudge we need in order to allow us to live our most authentic life. 

Hale gives a special mention to her mentor, Debbie Allen, who encouraged her to let her hair go gray — a crucial moment in Hale’s journey.  This choice would not only help skyrocket her social media presence, but would help spur important conversations about how individuals with grey hair are portrayed in the media, raise questions as to why the entertainment industry in 2025 continues to put female performers in narrowly defined boxes, and serve as a reminder that dancers can be any and every shape, size, age, and hair color.  

Photo Credit: Nicole Wilson @nicolewilsonnyc and @nicolewilsonphoto

Hale closes the show with candor, acknowledging that while viral fame has brought new opportunities, she’s still yearning to be seen for her artistry, not her follower count. It’s a vulnerable moment, and a powerful one.

Never Too Late is a call to action: to take that dream you put on the shelf for “someday,” brush off the dust it collected, and go for it. But, Never Too Late is also Hale’s joyful reconnection with her inner child — the fearless girl who adored ballet, spoke her truth, saw the world through a bold lens, and dared to dream big. That young girl, once waiting quietly in the wings for her cue, has finally stepped into the spotlight.

In the final scene, when Hale reflects on a recent walk she took past Broadway theatres to see which shows may have a character that would fit her “type,” Hale shines a light on an industry still learning to make space for women who defy its narrow definitions. Presenting her one woman show on 42nd Street, under Broadway’s very glow, is a revolution in and of itself.

As the show ends, Hale pauses, breathes, and looks out at the crowd. Overcome with emotion, she whispers, “I think I just made my own dream come true.” And indeed, she has.

Never Too Late ran at the Laurie Beechman Theatre on October 4th. For more on Kim Hale’s work, visit her on Instagram & TikTok at @mskimhale.

Photo Credit: Nicole Wilson @nicolewilsonnyc and @nicolewilsonphoto (Official production photographer)