2025 Encores!

Love Life

Dates

Mar 26 – 30, 2025

TIMES

Wed – Fri 7:30pm
Sat 2 & 7:30pm*
Sun 2 & 7pm
*note new time

ASL Interpretation AvailabLe

Sun Mar 30 at 7pm
Learn more and book tickets.

Group Sales

Special Pricing for Groups
To book a group of 10 or more tickets, visit Broadway Inbound or call 866.302.0995.

About

The Musical That Changed Musicals Forever

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, OBC). 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.

“Love Life and Allegro were the first concept musicals. They were the first of their kind…Weill’s score is swell, by the way.” — Hal Prince

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.

Love Life was originally scheduled as part of the 2020 season of Encores! but the performances were cancelled as a result of the pandemic shutdown. We are thrilled to welcome it back this season! 

Actor in a hat (Anna Zavelson) holding a cup and paper bag. Text reads: "40 & Under? Enjoy $28 Tickets!" and "Access City Center Club. Register." width=

Dates

Mar 26 – 30, 2025

TIMES

Wed – Fri 7:30pm
Sat 2 & 7:30pm*
Sun 2 & 7pm
*note new time

ASL Interpretation AvailabLe

Sun Mar 30 at 7pm
Learn more and book tickets.

Group Sales

Special Pricing for Groups
To book a group of 10 or more tickets, visit Broadway Inbound or call 866.302.0995.

Video

  • Love Life | First Day with The Encores! Orchestra

    Buy Tickets

Big Enough to Hold All Our Diversity

ENCORES! Love Life speaks to America, five years after shutdown

A conversation between Victoria Clark (director) and Rob Berman (conductor), with additional contributions from Tracy Christensen (costumes), Ryan Howell (sets), and JoAnn M. Hunter (choreographer).

“This production gives us an opportunity to explore what it means to be an American, from the vantage of our own diverse backgrounds and stories.” — Victoria Clark, Director

Read More

Artists

Cast & Credits

Encores!

Love Life is part of the 2025 Encores! series, helmed by Artistic Director Lear deBessonet, Producing Creative Director Clint Ramos, Music Director Mary-Mitchell Campbell, and VP & Artistic Director, Musical Theater Jenny Gersten.

Thanks to you, this series of concert stagings revisits the archives of American musical theater. Centered around The Encores! Orchestra, these revivals are produced with limited runs and rehearsal schedules, spotlighting the vocal talents of star-studded ensembles.

Sponsors

The Tony-honored Encores! series has kept the archives of American musical theater alive for theater lovers like you to come together and share a love of song and dance. Your gift today helps thousands of New Yorkers to experience these extraordinary musicals come to life once again on the City Center stage.

March 26 – March 30, 2025

Buy Tickets