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Kimberly Akimbo (Part III)

 A tentpole number might happen midway through the First Act; it's when the writers want to move beyond exposition and assault you with lightning. One of the standout examples, right now, is "Better," from "Kimberly Akimbo":


I met a nice guy at the dog track.
He was young; he was Greek.
He was possibly gay.
He needed a green card; I needed the cash.
We got married in Passaic last May.

We have this wonderful Greek man betting on hounds; he marries for legal reasons, and then he is (possibly) murdered. An entire episode of SVU--boiled down to a stanza.

I met a lady with dementia.
She was old; she was sweet.
She was legally blind.
She needed a roommate; I needed the room.
I was outta work; she was outta her mind.

A second great character--who is perhaps not as addled as she seems. The elderly woman designs a situation that works for her.

The "rule of threes" says that we need a third excellent story in the song, and this takes the form of a parable:

When life gives you lemons...
You gotta go out and steal some apples.
Cuz who the fuck wants lemons?

The speaker herself joins her own gallery of unforgettable characters: "You think I'm saying you should prey on sweet old ladies? No! Not JUST them...."

Bonnie Milligan was raised in a trailer, and she worked as a waitress for six years, in Columbus Circle, before her career took off. I hope she wins a Tony Award. I think this will be my last "Kimberly Akimbo" post--just noting that I'm a fan.

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