Theater Review: 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' at Arts at Angeloria's

Review by Connecticut Critics Circle member and Patch Contributor Nancy Sasso Janis

The Arts at Angeloria’s in Southington is marking the spooky season with an ambitious production of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The play with a bit of music is based on the book by Washington Irving, adapted for the stage by Mary and Andrew Arnault. Kevin Pelkey directs the cast of dedicated community theater performers, including five young people.

Producer Lori Holm reminds audience members that Irving wrote throughout his life, but is remembered for two of his short stories, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle.” Holm selected “Sleepy Hollow” for three reasons: Irving’s fiction brought American literature to the forefront, it is one of America’s first ghost stories and it introduces the now-famous Headless Horseman, and finally, it highlights the city vs. country theme, reminding us to be accepting of those unlike us.

Pelkey, who recently played Pilate in the A@A’s memorable “Jesus Christ Superstar,” deems this more than a ghost story–”it’s a lesson on fear, pride, desire, and the stories we choose to believe.” It also reminds us of the power of storytelling–”how legends grow in the telling.” Pelkey appears onstage in the role of Peter Vedder.

Ichabod Crane, who the director describes as “a schoolteacher, dreamer, outsider–whose ambitions and anxieties make him both comical and deeply human,” is played perfectly by Nathan Drake. In the legend, Crane comes to Sleepy Hollow from the state of Connecticut.

Growing up, Drake was entranced with mythologies, as well as developing a deep love for his home in New England. “As a young country, we don’t get the same depth to our folklore that, for example, the Greeks do. But, in ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,’ Washington Irving has given us the gift of some lore of our own to share and enjoy.” Drake does an excellent job of giving life to the character of Ichabod Crane.

Patrick Cassidy (“Play On!” at A@A) returns to this venue in the role of the local ruffian, Brom Bones, who has a way with a pea shooter. Olivia Oesch portrays the lovely Katrina Van Tassel. Raegan Howard plays Hans Van Ripper and Amber Drake takes on the role of his wife Dame Hilda Van Ripper.

I also enjoy watching Joe and Jen Passeretti working onstage, this time as Baltus and Dame Marta Van Tassel. Mr. Passeretti is in his fourth show at A@A and Mrs. Passeretti, who reads spreadsheets on the staff of the University of New Haven by day, serves as a member of the Wallingford Board of Education. Suzanne Thorner Robertson is a delight in the role of Grandmother in her seventh show with this company.

The children in the cast include one of the most senior A@A performers Aria Drake as Gretchen, sixth grade student Eleanor Emmett as Margaret, Grayson Howard (A@A debut) as Nicholas Christian, Maya Johns (a 12 year old mezzo soprano/alto) as Beatrice, and Elijah Oesch (A@A debut) as Rolf Diedrich. All do well as the often rowdy students of Crane.

Technical Director Eric Carson designed the lighting for the performance and Lou Oporto is in charge of all impressive elements of the sound. Ed Rosenblatt (“Jesus Christ Superstar”) worked as the music director and Jen Colella, who played Mary Magdalene in “JCS,” performed beautifully on violin.

The design and construction of the two horse puppets is credited to the director, Nathan and Amber Drake. The extraordinarily helpful stage manager Shelly Campbell and Patrick Cassidy serve as the puppeteers for Gunpowder and the Headless Horseman puppeteers include Eleanor Emmett, Grayson Howard and Elijah Oesch. Ash Gode is on stage crew.

Holm worked with the wonderful General Production Assistant Oriana Sworden to collect the plentiful period costumes that bring the characters to Sleepy Hollow. The changes for Katrina are especially lovely. Sworden and Raegan Howard took charge of makeup and hair. Pelkey designed the set for the production which features two tree trunks, wooden cubes, benches and a round screen for some lovely projections to set the scene, including the schoolhouse, the church, and the full moon. Steve Carella is the helpful “House Boy” to Stacey Burwell, House Manager.

The family-friendly “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” set in 1790 continues at the Arts at Angeloria’s through Oct. 26. Tickets: angelorias.ludus.com.

Link to the program: https://drive.google.com/file/...

Coming up next at the Arts at Angeloria’s will be “A Christmas Story The Musical,” which will also include a gaggle of young performers. It runs Nov. 21 through Dec. 7, just in time for the holidays.

All photos courtesy of Lori Holm

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theater reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, and she posts well over 100 reviews each year. She became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle in 2016. Her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted in the Naugatuck Patch as well as the Patch sites closest to the venue. She was a feature writer and theater reviewer for the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper.

Nancy played Maid by the Fire in the Arts at Angeloria's production of "JCS" this summer.

Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the CCC Facebook page.