B'way Update: Kimberly Akimbo Transfers, Neil Diamond Musical in Boston

Victoria Clark in Kimberly Akimbo
Credit: Ahron R. Foster

We have the first definite date for a Broadway opening for the 2022-23 season. Kimberly Akimbo, the hit musical version of David Lindsay-Abaire's quirky play about a young woman in an old woman's body, will begin performances Oct. 12 in advance of a Nov. 10 opening at a Shubert theater to be announced. The musical with book and lyrics by Lindsay-Abaire and music by Tony winner Jeanine Tesori (Violet, Caroline, or Change), recently concluded its hit run at the Off-Broadway Atlantic Theater Company. The Atlantic cast led by Victoria Clark will repeat their performances for the Broadway run. This should make for an interesting awards season in 2023 since Kimberly will be eligible for 2022 Drama Desk, Outer Critics and the New York Drama Critics Circle awards which include Off-Broadway. But the show will only be eligible for the Tonys in 2023.

The returning cast also includes Justin Cooley in his Broadway debut, Tony nominee Steven Boyer (Hand to God), Ali Mauzey (CryBaby), Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels), Fernell Hogan (The Prom), and--all making their Broadway debuts--Olivia Easley Hardy, Michael Iskander,  and Nina White. 

Neil Diamond in concert

Another possibility for 2022-23 is A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical. This jukebox-bio tuner has been in the planning stages for years, but got delayed by the COVID crisis. The show which will follow Diamond's life story employing the songs he made famous including "Sweet Caroline," "Cracklin' Rosie," "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," and "America," will play Boston's Emerson Colonial Theater from June 21-July 31. There are plans for a Broadway run a month later, but no specific dates or a theater have been announced. The book is by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Theory of Everything) and Tony-winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening) directs. Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett (Harry Potter and the Curse Child, Once) provides the choreography. Cast and additional creative personnel will announced at a later date.

In other news, the re-opening of Mrs. Doubtfire has been pushed back to April 14 from March 14. Some see this as a good sign for the beleaguered musical since it will be fresher in the minds of Tony voters.

2021-22 Broadway/Off-Broadway Schedule

March 3--On Sugarland (NYTW)

March 8--Confederates (Signature)
March 9--The Chinese Lady (Public Theater/Ma-Yi Theater Company)

March 28--Plaza Suite (Hudson)

April 3--Paradise Square (Barrymore)
April 4--Take Me Out (Second Stage/Hayes)
April 6--Suffs (Public Theater)
April 7--The Minutes (Studio 54)
April 8--Beetlejuice (Marriott Marquis)
April 10--Birthday Candles (Roundabout/AA)

April 11--The Little Prince (Broadway)
April 13--Harmony (Museum of Jewish Heritage)
April 14--American Buffalo (Circle In the Square)

April 14--Mrs. Doubtfire re-opens (Sondheim)

April 14--To My Girls (Second Stage/Kiser)
April 19--How I Learned to Drive (MTC/Samuel J. Friedman)

April 20--for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf (Booth)

April 21--Hangmen (Golden)
April 23--Wedding Band (TFANA/Polonsky Shakespeare Center)
April 24--Funny Girl (August Wilson)
April 25--The Skin of Our Teeth (LTC/Vivian Beaumont)
April 26--A Strange Loop (Lyceum)
April 27--Mr. Saturday Night (Nederlander)
April 28--Macbeth (Longacre)
April 30--The Bedwetter (Atlantic Theater Company)
May 17--Golden Shield (MTC/City Center)

June 1--To Kill a Mockingbird re-opens (Belasco)

June 2--what the end will be (Roundabout/Laura Pels)
July 21--The Kite Runner (Hayes)

Summer 2022--Richard III; As You Like It (Delacorte)

Nov. 10--Kimberly Akimbo (theater TBA)

Fall 2022

1776 (Roundabout/AA)

A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

Between Riverside and Crazy (Second Stage/Hayes)

the bandaged place (Roundabout/Underground)

2022

Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death, Cinderella, The Ohio State Murders, The Piano Lesson

2022-23

Black Orpheus, Dancin', Pal Joey, Square One

Winter 2022-23

The Wanderers (Roundabout/Laura Pels)

2023 and Beyond

Game of Thrones, The Great Gatsby

Future--Our Town; Death of a Salesman; K-pop the Broadway Musical; The Nanny; The Normal Heart/The Destiny of Me; Smash; Some Like It Hot; Soul Train; The Who's Tommy

2021-22 Broadway Season Breakdown:

New Plays

Birthday Candles

Chicken and Biscuits

Clyde's

Dana H. (transfer from Off-Broadway)

Hangmen (previously presented Off-Broadway)

Is This A Room (transfer from Off-Broadway)

The Lehman Trilogy (transfer from Off-Broadway)

The Minutes

Pass Over (previously presented Off-Broadway)

Skeleton Crew (previously presented Off-Broadway in a different production)

Thoughts of a Colored Man

Play Revivals

American Buffalo

for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf

How I Learned to Drive

Lackawanna Blues (previously produced Off-Broadway)

Macbeth

Plaza Suite

The Skin of Our Teeth

Slave Play (return engagement)

Take Me Out

Trouble in Mind

New Musicals

Diana

Flying Over Sunset

The Little Prince

MJ: The Michael Jackson Musical

Mr. Saturday Night

Mrs. Doubtfire

Paradise Square

Six

A Strange Loop (previously presented Off-Broadway in a different production)

Musical Revivals

Beetlejuice (return engagement)

Caroline or Change

Company

Funny Girl 

Waitress (return engagement)

Specialties

Bruce Springsteen on Broadway (return engagement)

David Bryne's American Utopia (return engagement)