After a successful reading of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at the York Theatre Company on June 27, Robert Stempin and James Crowley are in the final stages of retooling the musical adaptation of the famous Washington Irving classic.
Several prominent Broadway producers were in attendance at the reading, which was directed by Ben Rimalower and featured Perry Ojeda as Ichabod
Crane, Ann Rooney as Katrina Van Tassel, and Matt Stokes as Brom Van Brunt, among others.The show is also enjoying a successful summer run on an outdoor stage by the Center Stage Players at the historic Schmitter Estate, near Delaware, Ohio.
"I think the show is a winner," said Stempin, the show's librettist. "The music is beautiful. It's a family show. It's also romantic," he said. Yes, the famous Headless Horseman appears, but "we've really tried to create a healthy balance between ghastly and romantic," said Stempin.
"It will be
Sleepy Hollow that puts us on the Broadway map," said Stempin.
Stempin and Crowley, who wrote the music and lyrics, have their sights set on Broadway, Las Vegas and a touring production of
Sleepy Hollow. They are also in the process of acquiring financial backing from producers interested in the musical.
Crowley, of Phoenix, Ariz., and Stempin, of Durham, N.C., are currently collaborating on two other musicals,
Walking With Grace, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's
Little Match Girl, and
Dearest Teacher, the story of the early life of Annie Sullivan.
To find out more about the musical and the creative team behind
The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow, go to
www.sleepyhollowthemusical.com.
