The Legend of Perry Farm

Quick! What comes to mind when I mention Halloween?

Pumpkins, candy, costumes, yes, yes. But what about historically?

No, I'm not referring to the Celtic harvest festivals like Samhain that are thought to be the origin of the...NO, I'm not referring to the growth in the holiday after the boom in Scottish and Irish immigration in the late 19th century...NO! I'm not talking about the influence of gothic and horror literature on the holiday in the early 20th century that turned it into the celebration that we are familiar with today!

Hey, I don't come to your blog and interrupt you!

Ahem...of course, I'm talking about America's original horror story: Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. First released in a book of short stories in 1820, it tells the story of Ichabod Crane, a superstitious schoolteacher, new to town. His efforts for the hand of a wealthy farmer's daughter, Katrina Van Tassel, are thwarted time and again by the town bully, Brom Bones. The tale of the Headless Horseman is well known to the town's inhabitants and Ichabod is pursued by the spirit to...well, I won't spoil the ending for you!

Once again, KVTA is partnering with the Bourbonnais Township Park District to bring you to a Night in Sleepy Hollow. Just as in the previous few years, director Josh Hedding-Hess and his KVTA staff and cast of dozens has been enjoying the weather for outdoor rehearsals over the last few weeks, preparing these performances. The original story is again the true star and has undergone further tweaks with the addition of more comedy and drama where you might least expect it. You'll lose yourself in the entrancing story of the eponymous night in Sleepy Hollow and leave the performance filled with memories of emotions evoked by our storytellers. But, then again, who can forget the amazing spectacle of the Horseman's midnight ride through the Hollow!

You'll see many familiar faces this year, in both old and new roles, and many actors new to this performance. Of course, you'll meet Ichabod and Katrina. But you'll also get to know Ichabod's students, Baltus Van Tassel, the handsome (and pompous) Brom Bones, and even a few of the more...spiritual inhabitants of Sleepy Hollow.

No matter if you are a Halloween noob or nerd, this show has something to appeal to all. Tickets are available for the nights of October 17, 18, and 19 at btpd.org. Bring your walking shoes, your sense of adventure, and maybe a light jacket.

Brom Bones says, "I expect you to honor your invitation to the Van Tassel Harvest Dance. But you had better not stand between me and the fair Katrina!"