There's a point in "Kimberly Akimbo" where the title character says, "see me while I'm still here," and it might as well be a tagline.

The touring show made its Arkansas premiere last night and there were quite a few empty seats in Baum Walker Hall at Walton Arts Center despite the show's strong reviews and multiple Tony wins.

I'll admit to feeling underwhelmed when "Kimberly Akimbo" was announced as part of the 2025-26 Broadway season at Walton Arts Center earlier this year. I thought the plot sounded like "Benjamin Button" but somehow in reverse and worried the tone would be brooding and sad.

However Jennifer Ross, vice president of programming, called "Kimberly Akimbo" a can't miss.

"It is just such a great story," she said in March. "It's a brand new musical. It's original, and it'

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