Love Life
Love Life, the only collaboration between Kurt Weill and Alan Jay Lerner, depicts a love story that takes place over 200 years of American history, through the eyes of a couple who never ages, played by Kate Baldwin (Hello, Dolly!) and Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime). This rarely staged production is directed by Tony winner Victoria Clark (Kimberly Akimbo) and explores the epic and intimate aspects of a marriage through a juxtaposition of heartfelt scenes and satirical vaudeville acts.
When Love Life arrived on Broadway in 1948, Weill called it "an entirely new form of theater." While it wasn't a smash hit at the time, many of the most famous and influential names in musical theater history point to Love Life as the first concept musical, an inspiration for musical theater favorites such as Cabaret, Chicago, and Company.
City Center brings Love Life back to the New York City stage for the first time since its Broadway run over 75 years ago. The show features some of Weill’s most delightful, biting, and melodic numbers, such as “Mr. Right” and “Here I’ll Stay,” which became cabaret standards covered by many, and evoke his iconic work with Bertold Brecht on The Threepenny Opera.
The production has choreography by JoAnn Hunter, music direction by Rob Berman, scenic design by Ryan Howell, costume design by Tracy Christensen, lighting design by Paul Miller, sound design by Scott Lehrer, hair and wig design by J. Jared Janas, and illusions and magic by Skylar Fox. Casting for Love Life is by The Telsey Office's Destiny Lilly.
Photos : Joan Marcus & Paul Miller
"As befits an ambitious piece, Clark’s staging is one of the more ambitious Encores! entries, replete with multiple dropdown sets (Ryan Howell), ominous lighting that goes beyond standard concert fare (Paul Miller), illusions (Skylar Fox), 29 musicians (under the ever-excellent baton of Rob Berman), and a cast numbering 31. One of the cheap-looking pre-Broadway transfers that have originated from City Center lately this is not.” - TheatreMania
“The glitzy costumes for the Acts and the period-sensitive outfits for the Coopers’ adventures were by Tracy Christensen and the flexible set that went smoothly from the Coopers troubled domesticity to the entertaining Acts was designed by Ryan Howell; the lights by Paul Miller had his usual panache.” - Theatre Scene