“Almost Famous” and “Kimberly Akimbo” recently opened on Broadway to very different critical receptions.

“Almost Famous” is a musical based on the 2000 award winning film of the same name. The movie written by Cameron Crowe was a big hit and the musical adaptation seemed like a certain hit. It had an interesting story: a teenage music savant gets an assignment to follow a rock band.  The new critic falls in love with same groupie that is attached to a rock star.   They all get along and there is fabulous music in the background.  But, the movie worked because the well known music existed as a background to the story.  In the new play, new music was created to help tell the story.  The composer and the lyricist failed to make the music good enough. The critics agreed and the reviews were tepid.

“Kimberly Akimbo” tells of a teenager dealing with a fatal aging disorder.  Her body ages 4 to 5 years for each chronological year.  Kim is going to celebrate her 16th birthday but her body resembles someone who is seventy five years old. The show has to work both sides of the situation and succeeds.  It is both funny and heartbreaking.  The writers have written some beautiful songs and has the fantastic musical star, Victoria Clark featured perfectly.  The rest of the cast sparkles with the joy and the needed show-stoppers work well, too.  The critics raved about the show and the performances.

“Kimberly Akimbo” has the ability to let us know that life is about living it to the maximum. Despite, the day to day challenges and the realities of mortality, we must celebrate every day because no one knows what tomorrow will bring.