Review: THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW at Theatre 29

It is Halloween time once again, and as we mercifully say goodbye to triple-digit temperatures in our little sliver of paradise, we can now enjoy semi-crisp mornings (well, 65 degrees can be downright chilly!) and supermoons which make it the perfect time to take in some spooky season fare. Theatre 29 opened its 25th anniversary season with a new stage adaptation of Washington Irving's classic American ghost story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. Written in verse by Hans and Peter Bloedel, the production highlights a spirited cast delivering poetic dialogue with finesse. The characters often break the fourth wall, engaging directly with the audience and enhancing the enchanting atmosphere.

The play was directed by Eric Ross, a veteran of the theatre’s Halloween haunt events in the late 2000s and early 2010s as well as his stage directorial debut with “A Christmas Story” in 2016. With an eye toward the more macabre, Mr. Ross and his team weaves whimsy, comedy, and spookiness into their creation, immersing the audience in the eerie New England charm of Sleepy Hollow.

As you enter the theater, the dreamlike set designed by Mr. Ross and created by Assistant Director/Stage Manager Gary Daigneault, transports you to a haunting landscape of winding paths, a sunlit pumpkin, and creeping fog, perfectly setting the stage for a night of mystery. The opening sequence draws audiences into a whimsical world filled with mischievous townsfolk and eerie storytellers.

The vibrant ensemble brings Sleepy Hollow's townsfolk to life. Zaira Ferguson, Grace Ross, and Becca Osier shine as the Gossips, introducing the playful rivalry between Brom Bones (Gabriel Figueredo) and Ichabod Crane (Adam Shows), while Joe Rego and Richard Zepeda provide a grounded contrast as the skeptical town fathers Parson Van Pastor and Hans Van Ripper. The elite Van Tassel family, portrayed by Rob Wanless, Sharianne Greer, and Sabrina Olsen as Katrina, adds layers of charm and wit, especially in their interactions with Ichabod and Brom. Katrina is winsome yet never helpless, a young woman who has power and knows it within the confines of her time and place.

The iconic tale of the Headless Horseman runs throughout the performance, with Kevin Hayles hauntingly embodying the spectral Reverend Cotton Mather (of Salem Witch Trials fame!), embodying Ichabod's dueling interior nature. Brash and “worldly” Brom Bones played here with a wink and a nudge by Gabriel Figueredo weaves in the ghostly legend, contrasting brilliantly with Adam Show's portrayal of the awkward, daydreaming Ichabod. Show’s intense performance during Ichabod's fateful encounter with the Headless Horseman is a thrilling highlight, blending fear and excitement seamlessly. Brom’s “posse” of feckless lads are here played by Constance Large (who gets to play at opposites, being the girl amongst the boys and being smarter than all of them, while they remain clueless), Donivan Cox and Greyson Hayles. Bone’s “Le Feu” (to his Gaston, for all your Disney-ites out there!) Dirn Vanderflat is portrayed by Dennis “Easy” Boos. While normally a contemporary of Brom and his crew, this incarnation of a much older number 2 worked well in the hands of a skilled comedian such as Boos. Rounding out the cast is Dame Van Winkle (yes that wife of THAT Van Winkle) played here with Dutch power by Betty Wanless, who was also the designer of the sound plot. With music from the composer Benji Inniger who supplied the show’s debut soundtrack, the audio was well rendered, rich and broodingly dark. Lisa Hodgson’s lighting plot was colorful and well plotted, working well to not wash out the rear-projection design of Charles Harvey, adding a bit of a cyclorama effect to indicate time changes or mood enhancement. The costumes of Tera Bottorff and Cindy Daigneault, augmented by Kathryn Ferguson’s award-winning designs, set the tone in era and societal placement in this post-Revolutionary War era portrayed.

This adaptation of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow offers a captivating mix of humor and horror, enchanting audiences with its poetic storytelling and vibrant performances. Don’t miss the chance to see this legendary tale come alive on stage!  “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” will be playing at Theatre 29 Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:00PM and Sunday matinees at 2:30PM through October 27th. Tickets are available at theatre29.org/tickets, by calling (760) 361-4151 or at the door.

Coming up later this season at Theatre 29:

THE SOUND OF MUSIC – DECEMBER 6 – 22 - Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Suggested by “The Von Trapp Family Singers” by Maria Augusta Trapp – Directed by Lisa Hodgson and Bianca Stoker: The inspirational story, based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Trapp, follows an ebullient postulate who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain von Trapp, bringing music and joy to the household. But as the forces of Nazism take hold of Austria, Maria and the entire von Trapp family must make a moral decision. This final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and the title number, “The Sound of Music” won the hearts of audiences worldwide, earning five Tony Awards and five Oscars. RATED 10+ - Adult topics and disturbing historical references

EXIT LAUGHING – JANUARY 17 – FEBRUARY 5, 2025 – A Comedy by Paul Elliott – Directed by Wendy Cohen: When the biggest highlight in your life for the past 30 years has been your weekly bridge night out with the "girls," what do you do when one of your four-some inconveniently dies? If you're Connie, Leona and Millie, three southern ladies from Birmingham, you do the most daring thing you've ever done. You "borrow" the ashes from the funeral home for one last card game, and the wildest, most exciting night of your lives involves a police raid, a stripper and a whole new way of looking at all the fun you can have when you're truly living. RATING 13+ - Adult Themes

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE – FEBRUARY 28 – MARCH 16, 2025 - by Tennessee Williams – Directed by Gary Daigneault: Winner of a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and multiple Olivier and Tony Awards, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE is an American tragedy writ large. After losing her Mississippi home to creditors, Blanche du Bois relocates to the New Orleans home of her younger sister and brother-in-law, Stella and Stanley Kowalski. Undermined by romantic illusions, Blanche is unable to cope with life's harsh realities. Though she finds a glimmer of hope while connecting with Stanley's gentlemanly friend, Mitch, Blanche cannot face the truth of her own troubled past and ultimately descends into madness. RATING 13+ - Adult themes of sexuality, domestic abuse and alcoholism

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