In her last encounter with playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, Marylouise Burke took home a Drama Desk Award as Claire's frustrated mother in Fuddy Meers. Now, she's playing the title role in the writer's latest, Kimberly Akimbo, making its world premiere April 13-May 13 at South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa, California. David Petrarca (Sin, Marvin's Room, Dinah Was) directs.

Burke goes from playing mom to daughter in another of Lindsay-Abaire's freakish creations. This time, she's a teenager struck with a rare disease that causes her to age five times faster than everyone else. Kimberly doesn't get much understanding from her family; they're too concerned with their own problems—Mom's a hypochondriac, Dad's an alcoholic and Aunt Debra's a con. Thankfully, the very mature-looking girl finds her way to Jeff, another outcast teen with an unusual ability to create anagrams.

Lindsay-Abaire's plays include How We Talk in South Boston, A Show of Hands and The Kitchen Sink Drama. Wonder of the World will make its NYC premiere this summer at Manhattan Theatre Club.

Joining Burke are Joanna P. Adler (Lydie Breeze, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told) as Debra, Ann Dowd (A Delicate Balance) as mom Pattie, Steven Flynn as dad Buddy and John Gallagher, Jr. (Current Events) as Jeff.

Jason Robert Brown provides Kimberly Akimbo's original score. Brown won a Tony Award for Parade, his first Broadway musical. Other credits include Songs for a New World and the upcoming The Last Five Years. Designing the comedy are Robert Brill (sets), Martin Pakledinaz (costumes), Brian MacDeVitt (lights) and Bruce Ellman (sound).

Tickets are $18-$49. South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. For reservations, call (714) 708-5555. South Coast Repertory is on the web at http://www.scr.org.

— By Christine Ehren