"LoveMusik"
Kurt Weill will forever be remembered for his great score for "Three Penny Opera" and "Mahagonny," for his music from his pre-Hitler days in Germany, and numerous others when he escaped to the USA. "LoveMusik," with a book by Alfred Uhry, is based on his letters and those of his wife, the brilliant chanteuse Lotte Lenya, who, appearing in many Weill productions including the unforgettable "Three Penny Opera," became as famous as her husband. Alfred Uhry traces their 25 year relationship as they fall in love, marry, divorce, marry again, despite their violent arguments and various tempestuous affairs. By Margaret Croyden.

"A Moon For the Misbegotten "
The story deals with O'Neill's unhappy brother, Jim Tyrone, an alcoholic. He owns what looks like broken down property, part of which is the home of Josie and her father. On the surface, Jose is a rough, vulgar, earthy farm worker, but underneath she is a woman dying for love. On the surface, Jim Tyrone is similar but is incapable of achieving love or even accepting his longing for it. By Margareth Croyden.

''The Year of Magical Thinking'' starring Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave is a striking figure: her white hair brushed back, grey skirt, bland top, a little necklace--she is quite beautiful, especially her eyes. She manages to hold the audience's attention, but the writing is the problem. By Margeret Croyden.

"Dying City"
"Dying City" has received splendid notices. Almost every reviewer favored this two person play that originated in London at the Royal Court Theater last year. The plot is simple: Peter (Pablo Schreiber) comes to visit his sister-in-law, Kelly (Rebecca Brooksher). They haven't seen each other since Peter's twin brother Craig (also played by Schreiber) has been killed in Iraq. The double casting is the problem. By Margeret Croyden.

''Talk Radio'' starring Liev Schreiber
Everyone knows that Liev Schreiber is a good actor. He appeared in numerous movies, won Tonys and other acting awards, and is much in demand. Everyone in theater knows that Eric Bogosian's "Talk Radio" was produced by the Public Theater in 1987 when the great Joe Papp was running the place. Margareth Croyden ascertains how the two forces match in teh current revival at the Longacre Theater.

Howard Katz
''Alfred Molina in the lead role is a gifted actor. Strong on stage with a commanding voice and a commanding presence. His energy is superb. After reading the press release distributed by the P. R. on the show, I was struck by Molina's huge career. The man's credits took up almost an entire page.'' Molina starring in ''Howard Katz'', directed by Dough Hughes and reviewed by Margareth Croyden.

The Coast of Utopia Part Two: Shipwreck
"The Coast of Utopia, Part Two-The Shipwreck" is appropriately named. Not only is it a metaphor for the ruined lives of the Russian thinkers of Part one, but it illustrates that Stoppard's adventure into history has hit the rocks. "Shipwreck" begins in 1846 two years after Part One. Alexander Herzen (Brian F. O'Byrne) is now the central character. He has married, has had two sons, is still meeting his colleagues at ice skating rinks and cafes, or at fancy parties and is still talking the same talk: the dangerous situation in Russia, the work of the spying police, the tyranny of the Czar, and how to escape imprisonment. By Margaret Croyden.

The Vertical Hour
David Hare is one of England's most produced playwrights. Not only has his plays appeared regularly in London, but ten of them have been performed on Broadway, including his solo performance about his experience in Israel. Besides "The Vertical Hour" at the Music Box, his play "Stuff Happens" premiered earlier at the Public Theater. Later this season he is to direct Joan Didion's "The Year of Magical Thinking" starring Vanessa Redgrave. With a resume like this, his plays cannot be missed. By Margaret Croyden.

Translations
Brian Friel is one of Ireland's most famous playwrights. His resume is huge--too huge to list here. So are his awards: a Tony for his magnificent "Dancing at Lughnasa," a Lifetime Achievement Award from the "Irish Times" and best of all, favorable reviews for most of his work. Only last season his "Faith Healer," a revival with Ralph Fiennes and Cherry Jones was a huge success on Broadway. Brian Friel is well loved in New York, so that theater goers looked forward to his revival of "Translations." By Margaret Croyden.

The Coast of Utopia--A Trilogy
The most serious play of the season is without question Tom Stoppard's "The Coast of Utopia," a trilogy now playing in repertory. Each part can be seen separately, or in one sitting later in the month. As we know, Stoppard is accepted by the cognoscenti as one of Britain's most important playwrights. To be sure he has a huge body of work: dramas, comedies, TV scripts, and movies but "Utopia" is his opus magnum. Not too many writers would have the nerve, the temperament, or the confidence to embark on such an ambitious enterprise. A success in London despite mixed notices, "Utopia" was enough of an inducement for the Lincoln Center guys--Andre Bishop and Bernie Gersten--to bring it to New York. A giant production, the play requires more than 40 actors, elaborate scenery and costumes, original music, extravagant lighting, and unique theatrical effects. The scheduling of the rehearsals and repertory performances would drive any management crazy. So it is with great expectations that one went to see this much publicized event. By Margaret Croyden.

Les Miserables, the Musical
Cameron Mackintosh, the program says, has produced "hundreds of productions." His well known "Cats," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Les Miserables" (the first) were the three longest running musicals in Broadway history. It may be more than fifteen years since the original "Les Mis" (as is commonly known) hit Broadway and resulted in millions of dollars that Mackintosh and his associates have garnished from these enterprises. Mackintosh has still another production on Broadway, "Mary Poppins" that had already been playing in London for some time and undoubtedly will reap more profits. So what does Cameron Mackintosh want? More. By Margaret Croyden.

The New York Philharmonic
One of the recent surprises for concert patrons this season was the New York Philharmonic's presentation of an old Soviet film "Alexander Nevsky" accompanied by the Prokofiev's score written for the movie, played live by the orchestra. By Margaret Croyden.

Heartbreak House--- Shaw's House On the rocks
Bernard Shaw's "Heartbreak House" received excellent notices from most of the critics, so one was very anxious to see this all star cast. But lets get to the point. This play lasts close to three hours and there is virtually no action on the stage. A group of actors either stand, sit, or lie on a couch and talk--and talk, talk, talk. By Margaret Croyden.

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