Great Adventure Lyrics — Kimberly Akimbo

Song Overview

Review and Highlights

Quick summary

• Finale from the Broadway musical Kimberly Akimbo, music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire; featured performers include Victoria Clark, Alli Mauzey, Bonnie Milligan, and the original Broadway cast.
• Appears on Kimberly Akimbo (Original Broadway Cast Recording), released by Ghostlight Records on February 14, 2023.
• Album reached top tier on Billboard’s Cast Albums chart and accompanied the show’s five Tony wins, including Best Musical and Best Leading Actress for Victoria Clark in 2023.
• Stylistically a light-swing ensemble number with an easy, buoyant groove; published choral arrangements (SATB, SAB, SSA, and 3-Part Mixed) are available from Hal Leonard.
• This recording runs roughly three minutes, functioning as a curtain-call catharsis that reprises the show’s carpe diem thread with a singable hook: “no one gets a second time around.”

Creation History

Across Tesori’s catalog, finales tend to pull story threads tight rather than simply reprise a hit tune. Great Adventure follows that playbook. Tesori sets Lindsay-Abaire’s rueful, funny text in a lightly swinging meter that lets language sit naturally on the beat. The orchestration leans on bright reeds, rhythm section, and nimble choral voicings - the Broadway cast recording credits orchestrator John Clancy, with additional orchestrations by Macy Schmidt, and music direction by Chris Fenwick. The album arrived mid-season on February 14, 2023, via Ghostlight Records, capturing the original Broadway company at the Booth Theatre peak.

The number has spread well beyond the stage: choral charts by Mac Huff and Roger Emerson have made it a school and community choir staple, proof that the melody’s “instant-hum” quality travels. In program notes and previews for the choral octavos, the feel is described as “unbearably happy, light swing,” marked at about quarter note equals 140 - that sits just a hair brisker than the album cut and encourages buoyant diction and forward motion in ensemble settings.

On record, the finale’s emotional lift is shaped by Victoria Clark’s grounded lead presence and the cast’s layered countermelodies. The recorded mix keeps the lyric intelligible while letting the ensemble bloom in the back half, where handoff phrases and stacked “doo doo doo” patterns turn into a kind of neighborhood choir - exactly right for a New Jersey story about choosing joy in imperfect circumstances. As stated in a Playbill album announcement, the track list places Great Adventure as the closing cut, a placement that underscores its function as benediction.

Key takeaways

1. Text-first writing: Lindsay-Abaire’s language is conversational, so Tesori uses swing and unforced syncopation to keep words clear.
2. Finale architecture: short solo statements hand off to paired lines, then to full company, widening the emotional lens.
3. Ear-worm refrain: the “no one gets a second time around” hook fuses theme and melody, making the show’s thesis singable on exit.
4. Community sound: layered choir parts give school and amateur ensembles a roadmap for faithful covers without Broadway forces.

Song Meaning and Annotations

Plot

All season long, Kimberly Akimbo balances two clocks: the ordinary chaos of a Jersey family and Kimberly’s rare condition that accelerates aging. By the finale, plans have gone sideways, relationships have bent or broken, and the kids know their time together is finite. Great Adventure is the company’s decision point. Kimberly and Seth begin in a modest register - “We are on a great adventure” - acknowledging uncertainty and risk. Parents and extended family weigh in, then the peer chorus takes the helm, painting the future as a shore they can sail to even if the winds are fickle. The bridge lays out the stakes plainly: days die, the sun sets, people cry, and time sprints. The release returns to gratitude: the paths they took, the friends they made, the trouble shared. In story terms, this is a curtain call within the world of the show, a moment to bless what was and consent to what comes next.

Song Meaning

At heart, the piece is a carpe diem pact. The refrain “no one gets a second time around” is not grim; it is a permission slip. The mood is affectionate, brisk, and slightly bittersweet, a smile with wet eyes. Tesori’s swing feel - neither strict jazz nor straight pop - softens the existential edge and lets ordinary speech dance. The message is that adventure is not Everest; it is showing up for each other when maps are blurry. According to a Broadway review roundup, listeners often tag the finale as the show’s “exultation,” a last-page reminder that even messy chapters have lovely sentences.

Annotations

“We are sailing to a distant shore.”

Water travel is the classic metaphor for passage and change. Here it also localizes the action: New Jersey teens imagining a horizon beyond their town line. The shore image keeps the scale human-sized - not an ocean crossing, a reachable beach - which matches the score’s unfussy swing.

“Don’t know if we’ll catch a breeze or encounter stormy seas.”

Chance and agency interlock. The lyric’s weather toss-ups parallel the musical phrasing: short two-bar clauses that lean forward, as if catching that breeze mid-step.

“Because no one gets a second time around.”

The thesis statement. It lands on direct language with repeated pitches and communal echoes, inviting audience voices - a sly design for a finale that translates to massed choirs after the fact.

“With you, my partner in crime!”

Light outlaw language fits the show’s small-time capers and teenage workaround energy. The band answers with a wink; in many arrangements the rhythm pops here with a drum fill that feels like a fist-bump.

Genre and groove

The number fuses Broadway storytelling with a warm, radio-friendly swing-pop. The drum kit brushes and walking-feel bass nudge the beat forward without hard-driving rock aggression. That hybrid is Tesori’s sweet spot: music that respects speech rhythm while giving singers a groove to ride.

Emotional arc

It begins tentative, turns communal, and resolves in gratitude. The music’s job is to make that arc feel inevitable. Phrases lengthen as more voices enter; harmonies spread wider; the band opens the aperture. By the last “no one gets a second time,” we are hearing a town where everyone claims the same sentence and means it.

Context and touchpoints

The show’s 2023 awards season success frames the finale in triumph, but the song itself keeps stakes intimate: friends, parents, a kid wise enough to choose joy before the clock says stop. As noted by NME magazine in similar cast album features, finales that travel to choirs tend to emphasize communal language and short refrains; Great Adventure fits that lineage nicely.

Key Facts

• Artist: Victoria Clark, Alli Mauzey, Bonnie Milligan, Justin Cooley, Steven Boyer, Olivia Elease Hardy, Fernell Hogan, Michael Iskander, Nina White (Original Broadway Cast)
• Featured: Company of Kimberly Akimbo
• Composer: Jeanine Tesori
• Producer: Jeanine Tesori; John Clancy; David Stone (executive production by Kurt Deutsch on the album release)
• Release Date: February 14, 2023
• Genre: Broadway, Pop
• Instruments: Rhythm section with reeds and strings; cast ensemble vocals
• Label: Ghostlight Records
• Mood: Upbeat, reflective, communal
• Length: Approx. 3:02
• Track #: 19 on the original Broadway cast album
• Language: English
• Album: Kimberly Akimbo (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
• Music style: Light swing-pop with ensemble choral layering
• Poetic meter: Mixed, speech-driven phrasing with short anacrustic pickups

Canonical Entities & Relations

People

• Jeanine Tesori - composed the music for Great Adventure.
• David Lindsay-Abaire - wrote the lyrics for Great Adventure and the book of Kimberly Akimbo.
• Victoria Clark - performed lead vocals as Kimberly on the Broadway cast recording.
• Alli Mauzey - featured vocalist; plays Pattie.
• Bonnie Milligan - featured vocalist; plays Debra.
• John Clancy - orchestrated and co-produced the cast recording.
• Chris Fenwick - music director for the Broadway production.
• Kurt Deutsch - served as executive producer for the album release.

Organizations

• Ghostlight Records - released the cast album on February 14, 2023.
• Hal Leonard - issued choral and piano-vocal arrangements of the finale.
• Atlantic Theater Company - premiered the musical Off-Broadway prior to the Broadway transfer.
• Tony Awards - recognized Kimberly Akimbo with five wins in 2023.

Works

• Kimberly Akimbo (Original Broadway Cast Recording) - album containing Great Adventure.
• Kimberly Akimbo - stage musical for which the song serves as the finale.

Venues/Locations

• Booth Theatre, New York - Broadway home of the production captured on the album.
• New Jersey - narrative setting referenced in the show and echoed in the finale’s communal vibe.

Questions and Answers

Who produced the track on the cast album?

Jeanine Tesori, John Clancy, and David Stone produced the recording, with Kurt Deutsch credited as executive producer.

When was the recording released?

February 14, 2023, as part of Kimberly Akimbo (Original Broadway Cast Recording).

Who wrote the song?

Music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire.

What is the musical feel of the piece?

Light swing-pop at about quarter note equals 140 in choral editions, a touch slower on the album cut.

Where does it appear in the show?

It is the finale, placed as the closing track on the cast album.

Why has it become a choir favorite?

The singable refrain, antiphonal handoffs, and optimistic message translate easily to SATB, SAB, SSA, and 3-Part Mixed arrangements.

Did the album achieve any chart placement?

Yes. It reached the upper tier of Billboard’s Cast Albums chart during the 2023 season.

How does the lyric handle the show’s mortality theme without gloom?

It names the clock bluntly (“time’s flying”) but pairs it with community and motion images (“sailing”), so the mood stays buoyant.

Is there an official video or audio to reference?

Yes. An official audio upload of the track is available from the label’s channel on YouTube.

What roles are most prominent in the finale?

Kimberly and Seth initiate the text; Pattie, Buddy, Debra, and the show choir join, culminating in full-company statements.

What is the running time on the album?

Roughly three minutes and a couple of seconds, concise and radio-friendly for a finale.

Any notable live performances beyond the show?

Company performances at outdoor Broadway showcases have spotlighted the number, reinforcing its community-choir suitability.

Awards and Chart Positions

The song’s parent production, Kimberly Akimbo, dominated the 2023 Tonys with five wins: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Leading Actress in a Musical (Victoria Clark), and Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Bonnie Milligan). In tandem, the cast album’s release helped propel the title into the broader pop-cultural conversation. Trade coverage noted that the album rose to no. 2 on Billboard’s Cast Albums chart during its early digital window. Rolling Stone’s 2024 coverage of musical theatre’s streaming rise echoed how cast recordings like this one travel far beyond Times Square, building long-tail audiences for contemporary scores.

How to Sing Great Adventure

Tempo and key: Published choral editions mark it at approximately 140 bpm in a light swing; keys vary by edition and arranger, so match your ensemble’s range. The album version sits slightly under that mark, still buoyant.

Vocal range and ensemble use: This is a true company number. Leads take flexible mid-range lines; inner voices stack close harmonies on the hook. Choral charts exist for SATB, SAB, SSA, and 3-Part Mixed, making it ideal for mixed-ability groups.

Common issues: Over-sustaining the “doo” vamp can blur diction; keep consonants crisp. In swing, singers may rush the back-half of phrases - rehearse on neutral syllables to feel the pocket. Balance is crucial when the full company arrives; altos and tenors should prioritize text clarity over sheer volume.

Step-by-step HowTo

1. Tempo: Set the click between 132-140 and settle where lyrics feel nimble but clear.
2. Diction: Speak-sing the opening quatrains in rhythm, then add pitches; mark final consonants with light taps.
3. Breathing: Plan communal breaths before each “no one gets a second time” entrance; stagger in the long “doo” vamp.
4. Flow and rhythm: Practice swinging eighths on “bah” syllables; avoid straightening the groove.
5. Accents: Lean into pickups and end-weight phrases; mark micro-dynamics where the lyric names time passing.
6. Ensemble/doubles: In the company stack, assign one section to carry the tune while others add oohs; rotate so all learn the melody.
7. Mic technique: For soloists, keep 6-8 inches on crescendos; for group mics, align mouths and avoid lateral sway.
8. Pitfalls: Do not over-belt the refrain; the warmth lands best with buoyant mix and smile in the tone.

Practice materials: Use a click track at 136 and a piano-only reduction; then move to a combo stem with drums, bass, and keys to rehearse swing inflection. Choirs can leverage publisher-provided part-dominant tracks where available.

Additional Info

Notable covers and arrangements: Hal Leonard has released multiple arrangements - SATB and 3-Part Mixed by Mac Huff and Roger Emerson - which codify the tune’s swing and provide practical rehearsal durations. Retail listings flag it as a “novelty number” with an “easy swing feel,” language that mirrors audience response in parks and plaza performances. Community ensembles from schools to outdoor Broadway showcases have programmed the number as a crowd-friendly closer.

Awards halo: The song’s afterlife is buoyed by the production’s 2023 Tony sweep. That context matters when you hear the finale: the words carry the weight of a season where the little show from Jersey became the big show on the night. According to Entertainment Weekly’s ceremony recap, it was a landmark evening that put contemporary new musicals back at the forefront.

Sound and structure details: The refrain’s design leaves room for audience participation - easy syllables, predictable harmonic rhythm, and a harmonic center that sits in friendly territory for mixed groups. On the recording, the band keeps cymbals dry and piano percussive, emphasizing speech rhythm. The last minute widens dynamically rather than climbing in register, a choice that keeps the warmth intact. As stated in BroadwayDirect’s release preview, the label positioned the track list to make that final glow the lasting impression in streaming contexts.

Sources: Playbill; Tony Awards official site; BroadwayWorld; BroadwayDirect; Ghostlight Records product page; Hal Leonard and Stanton’s sheet music listings; Spotify track page; YouTube official audio; DCPA tour study guide; Talkin’ Broadway review; Billboard coverage; The Guardian recap.