Double the Fun

What fate befell Ichabod Crane after his encounter with the Headless Horseman?

That question was left without a definitive answer at the conclusion of Washington Irving’s "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." The same applies to the multiple film versions of the chilling tale. Readers and viewers are left to wonder, “Did he survive or was he unceremoniously dispatched by the spectral rider’s longsword?”

All ambiguity is removed in the adaptation of the 1820s tale which was staged recently by the Sisbarro Acting Studio’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – Seeing Double.” The production featured a cast of students from the Marco Island Charter Middle School Theater Club. The version was penned by Gina Sisbarro, the studio’s founder, producer, director, and writer.

Irving’s ghost story centers on Ichabod Crane, a gangly schoolteacher in the village of Sleepy Hollow in 1799. He’s competing with local prankster Brom Bones for the hand of one Katrina Van Tassel, a wealthy farmer's daughter.

A superstitious Ichabod is struck by the legend of a Hessian soldier who was decapitated nearby during the Revolutionary War. Known as the Headless Horseman, he’s thought to ride at night, searching for his head so that he can finally rest in peace. During a fateful late-night ride, Ichabod is chased by the phantom, an encounter that ends with the teacher’s disappearance. Only Crane’s hat and a smashed pumpkin are found, leaving the mystified townspeople to speculate about where he may be.

Held in the MICMS auditorium, the play’s run was limited to just April 25 and 26th.

Sisbarro’s decision to give the tale her own theatrical spin was sparked by an unexpected development that arose in December after another play had already been chosen for the theater club’s spring show. The catalyst for that change was Dylan and Ian Zarate, who played newly created lead characters in her adaptation.

“We were going to do a PG version of the play “Dearly Departed,” she said. “Then at the last minute, I got these incredible twins, Dylan and Ian. They decided to join because their good friend Collin (Hinton) has been in theater group. And I went, ‘Wait a minute, I have twins. I can do something really cool.’ I happen to love the story of Sleepy Hollow. And I said, ‘What if I take the main character, Ichabod Crane, and give him an evil twin, and add a really fun twist to the story of Sleepy Hollow?’

“So, I scrapped everything, even though we’d done a first read and assigned parts. Over winter break, I wrote this script. We came back. The kids loved it. It's the first time we're not doing a comedy. We're doing something a little bit dark. And you know what? It's been a lot of fun.”

Alexa Hamm, who played Mrs. Van Hudson, the aunt of Brom Bones, shared that same sentiment. Now in eighth grade, she’s taken part in Sisbarro’s productions since she was a sixth grader.

“I really love the play because it is just perfect,” she said. “And I love the costumes and the way everything is set so perfectly.”

Her fellow eighth grader, castmate, and theater club veteran, Scarlett Jauregui, enjoyed getting a chance to try drama, among other things.

“I like that I can actually work out my voice a little bit more,” she said. “Last year’s play was more modern. This one's a little more colonial. I really like how much more complex this is. And I love the story of how one man is two different people and he's trying to find his freedom.”

The Zarates portrayed Ichabod and Cornelius Crane, the “two different people,” Jauregui mentioned. It was the eighth graders’ first time acting.

It was Ian who first decided to join their friend Hinton among the school’s ranks of thespians. Their involvement proved to be an inspiration for his identical twin.

“Ian decided one day that he should bring me over to the theater,” said Dylan. “I wasn't sure at first, but then I thought, ‘well, I might as well try.’ This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I decided to do it now. It's pretty fun.”

The brothers acquitted themselves well, as did the entire cast in the fast-paced production, which demonstrated Sisbarro’s knack for snappy, humorous dialogue. The script also keeps you guessing until the play’s conclusion about the mysteries Irving presented; does the Headless Horseman exist, and will Ichabod live on, as well as a new one, what becomes of Cornelius?

Giving away the ending just wouldn’t be fair to future audiences, but here’s a hint: being a nice guy has its plusses.

For more information about the Sisbarro Acting Studio, please visit sisbarroactingstudio.com/.