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January 16, 2004
Section: CNY
Edition: Final
Page: E3
Column: Joan Vadeboncoeur

A beloved woman who may or may not exist. A jilted lover willing to try again. A bickering pair who still love one another. A timorous mail-order bride. The saga of a truck driver who, dreaming of his nighttime revels, crashes 30,000
pounds of bananas into Scranton, Pa. The dance band on the Titanic.

These are some of the moments of "Lies & Legends: The Musical Stories of Harry Chapin," an intimate musical that is being given its Central New York premiere by Appleseed Productions.

Stories is the operative word. Each song tells an entire tale. A few are funny, some are reflective, and many are poignant. And, as the title indicates, they can be either lies or legends. In other words, the fabric of life in America, no matter what the decade.

The stories are recounted by a talented five-member cast Mary Kate Migdal, Kelly Loen-Witter, Robert Steingraber, Mark J. Wright and Eric Feldstein under the caring direction of Linda Lance.

Steingraber and Loen-Witter are a hoot in "Salt and Pepper," the tune about the bickering couple. He gives a hilarious telling of the misfortunes of the truck driver in "Bananas" while she delivers the sanguine "Dogtown," about a
deteriorating community, with depth as well as fervor.

Migdal doesn’t miss in any of her songs, although "Winter Song" probably marks her best work. Feldstein also is consistently fine throughout. But "Taxi" does seem the possible standout.

Unfortunately, Wright was in less than his best voice at Sunday’s matinee, although dramatically he was on target. His best work came in Chapin’s classic "W.O.L.D.," the tale of a wandering husband who deejays his way through life, and "A Better Place to Be," his sad story of love sung with Loen-Witter as his sympathetic listener.

The entire ensemble scores with "Dance Band on the Titanic."

Clearly a Chapin addict, Lance deals with the material on a less-is-more approach. She has taken precisely the right path. Her minimal direction enhances the songs without detracting from the splendid lyrics. Her very able musical director is Kent Bradshaw.

A few set pieces were employed, yet registered as unnecessary. The lone platform and stools were all the variation needed since Lance’s staging, along with Chapin’s words and music, said whatever needed saying succinctly.

The production resumes for its second of three weekends at 8 p.m. today at Appleseed’s stage home in Atonement Lutheran Church, 116 W. Glen Ave., Syracuse. 

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