Sleepy Hollow is off and running. The weather has been great and the performances have been stellar. The magic of ‘the Hollow’ permeates the production and families are connecting with the story like never before. We are so grateful to our wonderful cast and crew who make the show an extraordinary event. From the Harvest Festival, to the Hayride through the Hollow, to the arrival of the Headless Horseman, the Sleepy Hollow experience continues to win over fans year after year.

To personally audition the Sleepy Hollow experience use our promotional Friends of the Cast discount. Click on the Sleepy Hollow coupon below, print, and bring to the ticket booth at the amphitheater to receive $5 tickets to the show.

Sleepy Hollow Coupon

Tags: discount, promotional discount, Sleepy Hollow coupon, tickets // Add Comment »

The Halloween season in Utah is full of great activities, especially for those die hard fans of spook alley’s and haunted houses.  It may be a little more difficult to find family-friendly activities offering Halloween atmosphere without the gore.  The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Concert offers a perfect evening for families to enjoy the Utah Halloween season, even get a slight spook, and the kids still sleep soundly through the night. There are other activities out there appropriate for families. A good resource for finding Halloween activities, games, and decorating ideas is www.UtahHalloween.com.  You can submit your own comments and suggest venues to be listed.

Tags: activities, concert, families, family, utah halloween // 2 Comments »

There’s nothing better than the crisp, cool air of the harvest season and the events that go along with it - farmers markets, football games, corn mazes, haunted houses, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Concert. It’s necessary to dress warmly to survive the weather at this time of year and a knit cap is perfect in keeping your ears and head cozy warm for those outdoor activities. All of our staff and volunteers will don a Sleepy Hollow cap this year which will make them easier to spot. If you are sitting in the audience this year you may get lucky and win one for yourself.

Tags: halloween, harvest season, hat, knit cap, sleepy hollow gear // Add Comment »

Invitations for our first annual Sleepy Hollow VIP Party went out this week. The invitations were individually handmade by Camie Brown, crafted out of paper to create a 3D visual of a scene from Sleepy Hollow. The party will be held at Noah’s Ark in September with lots of good food, live performances from the show, a media presentation and free gifts.

Sleepy Hollow VIP Party Invitation

Tags: behind the scenes, invitations, live performance, media, VIP party // 3 Comments »

Stories in Concert is thrilled to employ a talented cast and crew. Through the culmination of their efforts, Sleepy Hollow is portrayed with sophisticated artistry and passion.
________________________________________________________

THE NARRATOR

Our resident Narrator for Sleepy Hollow, David Knight, brings an authoritative presence to the show with his eloquent delivery of Washington Irving’s story. Not only does he lend his seasoned acting ability to the production company but also his in-depth knowledge of technical theater, serving as the technical director for Sleepy Hollow. Mr. Knight also serves on the board for Stories in Concert, assisting in the artistic direction for the company as well as development of Alice’s Adventures in Concert due to debut in June of 2009.

THE DIRECTOR

Courtney Knight (yes, she and David are married), our resident director joined us in 2007 to bring Sleepy Hollow to the next level of professionalism. Holding an MDT degree from BYU, not only is she a fabulous performer but an amazing director as well. Her vision of Sleepy Hollow (or “vis”, as she likes to call it) is expressed thoroughly to the cast, bringing the story to life with artistic finesse. Courtney also serves on the Stories in Concert board and is anxious for the opportunity to direct Alice’s Adventure’s in Concert this coming spring.

Tags: behind the scenes, crew, director, staff, technical director // Add Comment »

Stories in Concert (and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow) are now officially connected to the growing ’social media network’ space - in other words, we joined Facebook. For all the hype, the technology is truly useful and surprisingly engaging. In just a few weeks we’ve been able to connect with cast members and fans past and present, locally and across the globe.

If you haven’t tried it, I recommend Facebook.com as a fun tool for staying in touch with family, friends (and fans!). If you’re already a member, please be sure to join the Stories in Concert Group and become a fan of the Stories in Concert Page. You can connect to the cast, crew and other fans and share your reviews and comments about the show. Please join the conversation.  We’d love to hear from you!

// Add Comment »

Tim Burton’s film, Sleepy Hollow, is very loosely based on the original story by Washington Irving. Burton’s adaptation created Ichabod as the essence of cool by casting Johnny Depp in the role, while the original story portrays Ichabod Crane, or “Ichy” as I like to call him, as a foppish, socially awkward, lanky man, easily spooked by his superstitious nature.

Burton’s film employs Ichabod Crane as a detective, come to solve the mysterious murders in Sleepy Hollow. In the original story Irving writes Ichabod as a schoolmaster - and not a very kind one.

The blooming Katrina causes contention between Ichy and Brom Bones. Johnny Depp’s Ichabod wins Katrina in the end, while the original story leaves everyone wondering if Ichabod is dead or alive and Brom Bones escorts Katrina down the aisle.

Tim Burton’s film took full advantage of the ambiance this superstitious village provided for a horror story; using the characters, places, and ghost stories shared in Sleepy Hollow as a basis for the film. Our stage production tells the story in Washington Irving’s original words. It’s always fascinating to see how different films can be from the original source. What did the author really say? How does the story really go? Even though our production doesn’t employ Johnny Depp, Irving’s story has enough “cool” for an amazing, original experience.

To find out more about Burton’s film visit http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162661

Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane in Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow

Carl Barlow as Ichabod Crane in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Concert

Tags: classic literature, movie, sleepy hollo film // Add Comment »

Most of us never know what we’re missing out on until we become involved with something new. Until I had the privilege to play a lovesick, inebriated, singing Irish colonial farmer in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Concert, I had no idea how much better my life would be for doing it.

This year will be my third opportunity to be part of the cast. The hours of rehearsal (chorus rehearsals, rehearsals with the orchestra, tech rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and so on) will be more than compensated for by the relationships I enjoy with the cast and crew. The many nights of performance spent away from my family will be balanced out by the traditions I am able to build in my kids’ lives. They love to come to practices and shows, and nothing warms my soul quite so handily as my children greeting me with a chorus of “You were funny in that show, Daddy!”

I also had no idea that I was missing out on an incredible community treasure until Sleepy Hollow brought me to it. Tucked away in a quiet part of American Fork, the city’s historic amphitheater sits embraced by a gorgeous variety of trees in lovely Quail Cove. If you have never been, you’ll be blown by the fact that a structure and park this cool are hiding right in American Fork (go check it out at 850 East 700 North). Every time we drive by, my kids shout “Hi Sleepy Hollow!” You can see some great pictures of the amphitheater at the city link below. Maybe the setting will inspire you to start some new traditions in your own family.

http://www.afcity.org/DE_ArtsCouncilAmphiteatre.asp

Tags: amphitheater, behind the scenes, cast, rehearsals // Add Comment »

Colonial children didn’t have anything close to our modern day Toys R Us so they relied on little trinkets found around the home to fasten into toys. One of the most popular, and easiest to make, was the whirligig; a button fastened with a long piece of string. Who knew that something so simple could provide so much fun. It can be addicting - try it!

1. Start with a large button or a wooden disc with two holes drilled in the center and a piece of sturdy string or yarn about 20-22 inches long.

2. Thread the string through one hole and back through the second hole. Tie the ends of the string together in a tight knot.

3. Place index fingers through the ends of the string.

4. Wind up the string and begin to pull your hands outwards. The string and button should begin to pulsate and create a “whirling” sound.

To receive your very own Sleepy Hollow whirligig, be sure to visit our Harvest Festival before the show!

// 1 Comment »

This week has been spent preparing for the American Fork Steel Days Parade. We were not planning on participating but received an invitation from the city arts council to be part of their entry. I decided to include my kids in this event since they “live” Sleepy Hollow with us 24/7, nine months out of the year. It’s great, though, because my kids have come to love and know the story quite intimately, like a member of the family.

My youngest son, Max, desperately wanted an exact replica of Ichabod’s costume so we picked out a pattern, green fabric, gold buttons and constructed one this week. He is so excited to have his very own “Ichabod dress” and walk in the parade but he insists on riding Ichabod’s stick horse which is much too big and awkward for him. Luckily he finally settled on handing out whirligig toys to the kids.

// Add Comment »