“Kimberly Akimbo” may be one of the best new musicals to appear on the New York Theatre scene this season, glorified by the music of Jeanine Tesori, and enhanced with the unequivocal book and lyrics of David Lindsay- Abaire. It is not perfect, and some aspects can certainly be improved upon, but in its current incarnation it happens to be a perfect vehicle for the incredible talent of Victoria Clark. The end-product cleverly maneuvers the tricky procedure of using comedy to delineate tragedy. It is a tender, bold, sensitive narrative that results in captivating storytelling.

The plot revolves around Kimberly (the dynamic Victoria Clark), a lonely teenage girl with a rare disease that makes her age around four times faster than normal, so she appears to be an elderly woman. This peculiar appearance is the cause of alienation as she navigates the perils of adolescence. To make matters worse she is surrounded by a hypochondriac mother (a loopy Alli Mauzey) and an alcoholic father (a scattered Steven Boyer), who do not handle her disease as well as she does. Stir into the mix a deadbeat Aunt (the hilarious Bonnie Milligan) who is squatting in the basement and scheming a check fraud operation and you could have a recipe for disaster. Coming to the rescue is a tuba playing nerd (the remarkable Justin Cooley) and you find this tragic dark comedy turning into one of the brightest feel-good stories that audiences need during these trying times.

The music and lyrics are seamlessly integrated into the book and join to both inform and entertain, never wasting words or indulging in impertinent songs. Ms. Tesori’s music is fresh as she demonstrates an unexpected wide variety of styles. Ms. Clark infuses her character with grace and energy but never loses the foreboding undertone of her terminal condition. Mr. Cooley makes an impressive Off-Broadway debut as he embodies a high school nerd obsessed with anagrams, imbuing him with compassion and honesty without bowing to stereotypes. His first kiss with Kimberly may be one of the most magical moments presented on the stage. Ms. Milligan is a powerhouse, supplying explosions of brutal comedy accompanied by belting vocals. Director Jessica Stone guides her cast down emotional paths that are needed to convey each evolving situation. Even with a few shortcomings this is a musical that will entertain and impress even the most discerning theatre goer.