Perfectly timed for the Halloween season, 6th Street Playhouse is presenting The Legend of Sleepy Hollow like it’s never been seen, or felt, before. Playwright John Minigan has adapted Washington Irving’s 1820 classic into a one-man play that is storytelling at its best. Directed by Marty Pistone (To Kill a Mockingbird), with an original score by Nate Riebli (The River Bride), this spellbinding theatrical experience combines humor, suspense, romance, and the supernatural. It is perfect for audiences of all ages. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow runs Friday, October 13 through November 5, 2023 in the Monroe Stage.
“Splendid…Captures both the thrill of the spooky story and its moral…With subtlety and finesse…Minigan manages to give this familiar tale a fresh eye.”—Terry Byrne, The Boston Globe
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is an entertaining adaptation of the tale of the Headless Horseman that is both humorous and frightening. Staged in an abandoned New England pub some years after the Revolutionary War, Washington Irving tells the story through a single actor embodying the many (20) particular characters that inhabit Sleepy Hollow.
Gangly, awkward and arrogant Ichabod Crane is a poor and superstitious schoolmaster who moves to the secluded village of Sleepy Hollow. It is a town known for its haunting legends, particularly the one about the terrifying Headless Horseman, a ghostly figure said to roam the woods at night in search of his lost head
Ichabod loses his own head over his student, the flirtatious heiress Katrina Van Tassel, and attempts to maneuver his way into her good graces to satisfy his huge appetites. However, he finds himself in competition with another suitor, the brawny and boisterous Brom Bones.
After attending a harvest party at the Van Tassel farm, Ichabod experiences a solitary, spine-tingling ride home, through the dark woods…until he encounters the Headless Horseman, and a heart-pounding chase ensues! He’s in for the ride of his life!
The play adaptation of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” focuses on the suspenseful and supernatural elements of the story. It delves into themes of the perils of misinformation, the corrupting nature of gluttony and greed, rivalry, superstition and the power of folklore, making it a thrilling and atmospheric one-man show that captivates audiences with its haunting tale.
This production is in the capable hands of director Marty Pistone. His 6th Street Playhouse directorial credits include The River Bride, To Kill a Mockingbird, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown!, Stage Kiss, Anna of the Tropics, The Graduate, and The Mystery of Irma Vep. Previously he directed the world premiere of Galatea at Spreckels Theater which won Best Stage Direction, Best Actor, Best Set Design, Best Projection and Best Entire Production in the Bay Area.
Pistone’s vision for this production focuses on the nature of storytelling which encourages the audience to use their vivid imaginations. He references artists like Harry Chapin and Alfred Hitchcock, who would thrill audiences by showing them something suggestive and then let their own imaginations fill in the blanks.
“Nothing is scarier than what’s in your own mind,” said Pistone.
An expert technical team, which includes Costume Designer Mae Heagerty-Matos, Lighting Designer April George, Projectionist Eric Katsuleres, Sound Designer Ben Roots, Composer Nate Riebli, and Set Designer Guilio Perrone, will support the storytelling by providing immersive sound effects and captivating visuals to leave you spellbound.
This show will linger in your mind long after the final curtain call.
Adapted from the story by Washington Irving by John Minigan, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow premiered at the Greater Boston Stage Company on October 21, 2022, as part of the Don Fulton New Works Project and was directed by Weylin Symes.
Playwright John Minigan’s plays include The Queen of Sad Mischance, Closing Doors, Breaking the Shakespeare Code and Tall Tales from Blackburn Tavern. His work has been presented in New York by Circle Rep, Urban Stages, and Shelter West and his new plays are developed and workshopped internationally. His full-length comedy, Noir Hamlet, most recently seen at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, was named a Best of Boston Theater for 2018 and a 2019 nominee for the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding New Script. He is a 2020 winner of the New American Voices Festival, a 2019 winner of the Clauder Competition for new plays, and a finalist for the 2018 O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. Minigan’s work is published by Applause, Smith & Kraus, True Acting Institute, YOUTHPlays, and New World Theatre.
The Cast of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is as follows:
Washington Irving – Skylar Evans played Macbeth at Petaluma Shakespeare, Max/Cecil in The One-Act Play That Goes Wrongat Left Edge Theatre and performed for years with the improv for children troupe: The Chalkboard Players. Up next, Skylar will be directing Everybody.
Washington Irving Alternate – Nic Moore played Romeo in Romeo and Juliet at The Curtain Theatre and has performed with many companies in the Bay Area including: Sonoma Arts Live, Alter Theater, New Conservatory Theater Center, Theatre Rhinoceros, and Novato Theater Company.
Dates/Times:
October 13 – November 5, 2023
Preview Performance—Thursday, October 12 at 7:30pm — $24
Opening Night— Friday, October 13 at 7:30 pm, Champagne reception to celebrate the show with your friends, the cast and artistic team.
Runs Thursdays—Sundays (see website for details)
Run Time: 90 minutes plus a 15-minute intermission.
Tickets cost $24 – $37 and are available online at 6thStreetPlayhouse.com
or by calling the Box Office at (707) 523-4185.
