Interview: Marcus Phillips of KIMBERLY AKIMBO at Kauffman Center

Next up in PNC Bank’s Broadway in Kansas City series is the 2023 winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical, Kimberly Akimbo. Kimberly Akimbo is a fascinating newer show enjoying its first North American tour. It opens at KC’s Kauffman Center For the Performing Arts on January 20 for eight performances through Sunday, January 25.

Kimberly Akimbo tells the story of a lonely teenage girl named Kimberly Levaco. Sixteen-year-old Kimberly suffers from a rare condition that causes her to appear to age much more quickly than what could be expected of a person of her years.  It is similar to a real-life condition called Progeria.  Kimberly’s family has just relocated to Bergen County, New Jersey.

Broadway World had the pleasure of speaking with Marcus Phillips, one of the lead actors as Seth Weetis, Kimberly’s best buddy. I asked Marcus to share a little bit about Kimberly’s journey just prior to their two-week residency in Dallas.  

Broadway World: Marcus, could you tell me a bit about Kimberly Akimbo? Despite its Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best New Score in 2023, the show may not be familiar to most audiences.

Marcus Phillips: Our show is a really different show from what is out there. It is this quirky little show. It follows the story of Kimberly, our main character, who is 16 years old, but she is struggling with this disease, similar to Progeria. Progeria makes its victims age four times faster than everyone else of a similar age.

The show follows her life with her condition and with her family’s whole separate challenges and all the things that come with that.  Kimberly’s family had her at a very young age. So you know that has its own set of challenges including Kimberly’s Father’s frequent alcohol abuse.

Kimberly’s family has just moved to Bergen County. Kimberly must meet new friends and face all the problems connected with that whole process of growing up.  

The show opens at an ice-skating rink in rural New Jersey. As the story evolves, there is possible criminal activity with her Aunt Deborah going on.

Broadway World: When I first read about this show I was put in mind of a film called The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Marcus Phillips: Yeah, it's something similar, but kind of like the reverse of that.

So instead of, you know, she was born looking really old and she's aging really super fast, so it is the reverse of the Benjamin Button premise, Benjamin Button backwards.

And it's a real small show. There's only nine cast members on stage that make up the world of our show.

Broadway World: What part do you have in the show?

Marcus Phillips: I play Seth Weetis.  He is another teenager at Kimberly’s school. Seth thinks himself the misfit of the show. He's just not really aware of many social cues that a lot of other teenagers catch on to around that time.  Seth says whatever is on his mind and lets people know whatever his interests are. Like Seth likes word puzzles and he likes anagrams.  Kim and Seth find each other in a moment where they both kind of need a friend.

Seth and Kim see the other for who they are and not as put on personalities. They are not like many other teenagers do in high school, you know?

So, Seth and Kimberly are best buddies. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I would describe Seth as Kim's first friend, like one of her first friends that she makes in school after moving.

Broadway World: From what I've read about this disease from which Kimberly suffers, it is evidently it's a real thing.

Marcus: Yeah. I mean, our interpretation of it is pushing a little more fantasy, but it definitely has a lot of similarities to this real considition. The most similar disease that's real on Earth is called progeria.

Broadway World: Tell me about the person who is playing the title character, Kimberly.

Marcus Phillips: Anne Morrison is great. She came on not too long ago to take over the role of Kimberly and she's just been fantastic. Like she is just like a sixteen-year-old stuck in an older woman's body. The choices that she makes on stage are so like a real teenager.  As a scene partner, you kind of forget that she is an older woman playing someone much younger. As an actor, she's just amazing.

Broadway World: What kinds of things does Kimberly go through, uh, throughout the show.

Marcus Phillips: Yeah, let's see how you put that without giving too much away. Kimberly goes through a lot of figuring out what? Life! We have this whole song talking about how no one gets a second time around.

The show really is just about living life to the fullest. And we can really see that in Kimberly's eyes because, you know, she has this condition may not let her live a full life including possible criminal activities with her Aunt Deborah, and the fight she has with her parents.

Broadway World: You've been with the show, what, a couple of years?

Marcus: Well, I've actually been with the show, I guess, going on two years. I originally understudied all the male teen roles before taking over the role of Seth last fall. With that, I'll just throw it to the end.

Broadway World: How long do you think the show is going to be on tour?

Marcus Phillips: We plan to end the tour at the end of May, actually closing it out in New Jersey, which would be really cool. It will feel like full circle for the show to end where it is set. Everyone is planning for it to end in May.

Broadway World: Tell me a bit about Marcus.  This is your third tour.

Marcus Phillips: Yeah, this is my third tour. I've been blessed enough to work on The Prom tour.  That one was really fun.  I really enjoyed the dance element.  And then I toured a show called Dogman for a little bit.

Broadway World: How do you feel about touring? Do you lose track of where you are after a while?

Marcus Phillips: I actually looked at my phone to make sure that we were really in touch.

It gets kind of crazy sometimes. All the hotels start to look the same. You get tired of the hotel lotion and stuff like that. But other than that, I enjoy it.  

I mean, it's a good way to see the states then travel around and meet new people and see things that you wouldn't necessarily see.

Like we went to Utah and I never thought I would go to Utah for fun and I just didn't know much about it. We went to Salt Lake City and it turned out to be one of my favorite cities. Something new!  I'd never been tubing before. We got the chance to tube at our Salt Lake City stop and it really was great.

The hardest part is keeping up with friends at home.  In my case, I have a fiancé at home. Just keeping up with friends and loved ones is kind of hard because you're always three hours behind or three hours ahead of home. So that would be the hardest part.

Broadway World: I read you are from North Carolina.

Marcus Phillips: Yeah. I'm from a little town called Hickory. North Carolina, near Charlotte.

Kimberly Akimbo performs at the Kauffman Center from January 20 to January 25.  Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.

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