Out and proud performer Darron Hayes is flying into the Windy City in time for Pride month to play Martin Doaty in Kimberly Akimbo. He’s part of a rainbow of representation in the musical tale set in New Jersey about a teenage girl named Kimberly Levaco who has a condition called progeria that causes her to age quickly.
Hayes made his Broadway debut in the award-winning show and understudied the roles of Martin, Aaron and Seth. This multitalented queer force of nature has traversed the world to portray Pharus Jonathan Young in Choir Boy in Australia and Off-Broadway in I Can Get It for You Wholesale, a musical known for spotlighting a 19-year-old named Barbra Streisand.
Television credits include singing competition series American Idol on ABC and CBS police series FBI: Most Wanted.
While out on the road, Darron beamed in as a ray of sunshine over Zoom to talk about his career and the five-time Tony Award-winning show.
Windy City Times: Where in the world are you?
Darron Hayes: I’m currently in Columbus, Ohio. I will be in Chicago for two weeks.
WCT: When did you begin performing?
DH: I’m from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I grew up singing in church initially. Then I went on to play instruments and my mother put me in the theater at a young age because I think they weren’t really sure what to do with me.
I was always the kid doing cartwheels in math class and wanting to stick out. I did theater as well as played in the band and stuff. I’ve worked in the arts my entire life and now it’s my entire livelihood.
WCT: Where did you go to school?
DH: So I graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. I went on to Penn State to get my BFA and musical theater.
WCT: I watched your performance at Penn State of “Home” from The Wiz on YouTube. You made the singing look easy.
DH: Thank you.
WCT: Is there a musical that particularly speaks to you?
DH: I love Next to Normal. It did well in London last year.
WCT: Talk about working in Australia.
DH: I got to play Pharus in Choir Boy for the Australian premiere of the play and it was a huge opportunity. When I did the part at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, I met with Tarell Alvin McCraney, who’s the writer of the play.
It was truly one of the most beautiful experiences I could have ever imagined. Growing up, I never thought I would work in Australia. I loved working over there.
WCT: That’s your connection to Chicago. Tarell is a Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member and has developed several shows there.
DH: He is so talented, intelligent and truly changing the world with his work. I look up to the man so much and he means a lot to me.
WCT: How was your American Idol experience?
DH: I was not on the show very long, but I was able to meet world-class singers. That’s where I connected with Nichelle Lewis, who was Dorothy in The Wiz on Broadway. I wasn’t expecting much out of the experience, but I’m glad I tried it.
WCT: When were you on the TV for FBI: Most Wanted?
DH: I believe it was last year. I don’t even know which day it is with this tour! [laughs]
I was very nervous going in for it because I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I basically sat around all day. We did my scene, maybe like six times, and then they said I did great. I thought I would get notes from them, but they just moved on. It was quick and easy.
WCT: There’s one difference between television and theater. No notes!
DH: Well, I asked if they needed anything else and they said I could go home. So I was like, “Bye!”
WCT: What was the timeline for working on Kimberly Akimbo?
DH: I booked Kimberly in 2023 on Broadway. I made my Broadway debut with the show, which was super exciting. The day of my Broadway debut, I learned that I would be going on tour with the show. I remember thinking that I needed to focus on being on Broadway and not the tour at the time. I had about six months before the tour started.
WCT: What would you like to tell people about the show?
DH: Kimberly Akimbo is a coming-of-age story about a 16-year-old girl who has this rare genetic disorder where she ages four times as fast as she should. The show examines that which, as you can imagine, can be very difficult and devastating.
Kimberly just moved to a new town in New Jersey and she has a highly dysfunctional family. She’s the new kid in school and she has to navigate falling in love.
While she has a devastating disease and a tough family dynamic, it is also funny. Audiences will be crying and laughing at the exact same time.
WCT: This sounds like a very rewarding project for you.
DH: I’m so grateful that I got to make my Broadway debut in a show like this and to now tour with it. Playing the part on tour that I covered on Broadway is very special to me.
I love our show so much because the characters are normal, regular, everyday people. Kimberly Akimbo is about life. It’s about all of the ups and downs. It’s so beautiful!
WCT: Talk about your character, Martin.
DH: I play Martin, who is one of the members of the show choir at school. He’s in a quartet and has star potential. He knows there is a life awaiting him outside of New Jersey.
These teens are quirky and Martin is tied up in a love square.
WCT: Is that like a love triangle?
DH: Yes. Martin is in love with one of his best friends, who is straight. That boy is in love with another friend named Delia, who likes girls. Delia is in love with Teresa, who loves me.
WCT: That is good writing right there.
DH: Yes, it is.
WCT: That square covers some of the queer aspects of the show.
DH: Yes. There are several queer characters in Kimberly Akimbo.
WCT: People not fitting into a box make this a good production for Pride month.
DH: I’m so excited to be in Chicago during Pride and represent Martin. He is out, but he’s 16. He’s not as comfortable as I am at 26 years old.
WCT: I noticed rainbows everywhere in the advertising for the show.
DH: Yes! There are several queer cast members that want to go to Pride events while we are in Chicago.
WCT: Chicago Pride Fest is right at the tail end of your run in Illinois on June 21 and 22.
DH: I will let them know.
WCT: What does Pride mean to you?
DH: To me, it means visibility, that we are here and not going anywhere! I hope little Black queer boys will see me onstage and follow their dreams like I did. When I grow weary of doing the show every day, I try to remind myself of that. People might be seeing the show for the very first time and I must be the representation for others.
WCT: The Kimberly Akimbo tour continues into May of 2026. Do you plan to stay until the end of the run?
DH: Yes, I will be here!
Say hey to Hayes after the play between June 10-22 at CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St. Grab your tickets at broadwayinchicago.com before Kimberly Akimbo skates out of town.