Washington Ballet to Host World Premiere of SLEEPY HOLLOW, 2/18

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Washington Ballet is pleased to announce casting and libretto for the world premiere of Septime Webre's Sleepy Hollow, Wednesday, February 18 - Sunday, February 22, 2015 at the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater. The Company will be joined by guest artist, Xiomara Reyes, a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre who will premiere the role of Katrina Van Tassel. Reyes studied at Cuba's National Ballet School. Prior to joining ABT, she danced as a First Soloist at the Royal Ballet of Flanders. Reyes joined American Ballet Theatre as a Soloist in 2001 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2003. Her awards include the Gold Medal for the Best Soloist at the International Ballet Competition of Chiclayo, Peru (1996), Best Couple Prize at the XIV International Ballet Competition in Varna (1990) and Silver Medal at the Cinquienne Concours International de Danse de Paris (1992).

The Program

Wednesday Evening, February 18, 2015, at 7:30

Thursday Evening, February 19, 2015, at 7:30

Friday Evening, February 20, 2015, at 7:30^

Saturday Afternoon, February 21, 2015, at 1:30

Saturday Evening, February 21, 2015, at 7:30^

Sunday Afternoon, February 22, 2015, at 1:30^

Sunday Evening, February 22, 2015, at 6:30

Sleepy Hollow

Original Music and Arrangements by Matthew Pierce

Choreography by Septime Webre

Scenery and Property Design by Hugh Landwehr

Costume Design by Liz Vandal Lighting Design by Clifton Taylor Projection Design by Clint Allen

Libretto by Karen Zacarias and Bill Lilley

Puppet Design by Eric J. Van Wyk

Act I

Salem, 1692

Three young women are innocently doing laundry until Puritan Reverend Cotton Mather accuses them of witchcraft. As the women burn at the stake, Mather feverishly writes his famous book The Wonders of the Invisible World, an account of the Tryals of Several Witches, which will influence superstitious beliefs for generations to come.

Three Women, Accused

Maki Onuki or Ayano Kimura^, Kateryna Derechyna, Witches Aurora Dickie

Cotton Mather

Luis R. Torres

Puritan Men/Men in Black

Gustavo Ribeiro, Federico D'Ortenzi, Zhenghong Cao, Tamás Krizsa, Gian Carlo Perez, Marshall Whiteley, Louis Picuira-de Pimodan, Karl Picuira-de Pimodan, Johan Mancebo, Oscar Baez, Gabriele De Fazio, Corey Landolt, Chong Sun, Daniel Roberge, Andile Ndlovu

Boston, 1775

Fifteen-year-old Ichabod Crane is a voracious reader who comes across a century-old copy of Mather's book. Haunted by nightmares from what he has read, Ichabod is comforted by his mother and father.

Ichabod joins his father and the American rebels in fighting the British soldiers led by Major Andre, who kills Ichabod's father. The ghosts of three women accused as witches appear and urge revenge. Ichabod, in a fit of rage, decapitates Major Andre who is transformed into the Headless Horseman. Haunted for years by these events, Ichabod flees Boston for a new position as a teacher in Sleepy Hollow.

Ichabod Crane

Jared Nelson or Corey Landolt^

Ichabod's Mother

Francesca Dugarte

Ichabod's Father

Tamás Krizsa

Major Andre /

Headless Horseman

Brooklyn Mack or Gian Carlo Perez^

American Rebels

Corey Landolt or Federico D'Ortenzi^, Chong Sun, Andile Ndlovu, Daniel Roberge, Zachary Hackstock

British Soldiers

Miguel Anaya or Johan Mancebo^, Zhenghong Cao, Gian Carlo Perez or Karl Picuira-de Pimodan^, Marshall Whiteley

Sleepy Hollow, 1793

The Dutch Reformed residents of the Hudson Valley celebrate the pumpkin harvest. The gossiping farmers and Dutch wives soon notice that the handsome rogue Brom has taken a strong interest in Old Van Tassel's beautiful daughter, Katrina. The new schoolmaster Ichabod is also smitten by Katrina and tries to impress her with his tale of the Headless Horseman. The jealous Brom is not amused.

Katrina Van Tassel

Xiomara Reyes or Maki Onuki^

Katrina's Sister

Morgann Rose

Baltus Van Tassel

Luis R. Torres

Brom "Bones" Van Brunt

Jonathan Jordan or Miguel Anaya^

Brom's Boys

Corey Landolt or Federico D'Ortenzi^, Chong Sun, Andile Ndlovu, Daniel Roberge

Katrina's Girlfriends

Tamako Miyazaki, Ayano Kimura or Rachael Jones^, Esmiana Jani

The Innkeeper

Zachary Hackstock

The Town Lunatic

Miguel Anaya or Chong Sun^

Dutch Wives

Francesca Dugarte, Carly Wheaton, Sarah Reimold, Olivia Lipnick or Peishan Xie^

Farmers

Zhenghong Cao, Tamás Krizsa, Gian Carlo Perez or Karl Picuira-de Pimodan^, Marshall Whiteley

The Innkeeper's Decapitation and Journey to a Cemetery nearby

The townsfolk disband for the night; the drunk Innkeeper leads Ichabod to his room. Alone in the woods on his return home, the Innkeeper is killed by the Headless Horseman.

Ichabod wanders into a cemetery where he is tormented by the ghosts of fallen revolutionary soldiers and their widows. Ichabod awakes from fretful sleep; his nightmare has followed him to Sleepy Hollow.

Headless Horseman

Brooklyn Mack or Gian Carlo Perez^

The Three Witches

Maki Onuki or Ayano Kimura^, Kateryna Derechyna, Aurora Dickie

Ghosts of War Widows

Morgann Rose, Tamako Miyazaki, Ayano Kimura or Rachael Jones^, Esmiana Jani, Francesca Dugarte, Carly Wheaton, Claire Rathbun, Nina Fernandes

Ghosts of Fallen Soldiers

Corey Landolt, Chong Sun, Andile Ndlovu, Daniel Roberge, Zhenghong Cao, Tamás Krizsa, Gian Carlo Perez or Karl Picuira-de Pimodan^, Marshall Whiteley

Spectres

Nardia Boodoo, Olivia Lipnick, Isabel Deyo, Peishan Xie, Sarah Reimold, Kyra Wendelken, Krystina Wendelken, Kimberly Cilento, Miriam Darchia, Erin Chong,Rachael Jones, Giselle MacDonald, Delaney Zieg, Taylor Kelley, Yayoi Shigeki, Linnea Swarting, Carmen Salta, Lily Saito, Miyuki Abe

Intermission

Act II

Tomfoolery and Ichabod's One-room Schoolhouse

Ichabod teaches his rambunctious students who would rather play than study. Rivaling Brom for Katrina's attention, Ichabod tells everyone the tale of Rip Van Winkle. Frustrated by Brom and Ichabod's rivalry, Katrina leaves.

Six Pumpkins

Jacob Liberman, Gael Waizenegger, Jacob Fife, Harold Isaac, Harold Fuson, Gus Pearlman, Matthew Luhman, Jonah Roark, Lucas Springsteen, Zachary Lucia, Matteo Lorenzo-Giguere, Michael Hitchcock, Emile Berlinerblau

The Lunatic and the Fireflies

A dejected Ichabod seeks solitude in the forest where he encounters the town Lunatic and a swarm of fireflies. As Ichabod and the fireflies depart, the Headless Horseman gallops in and kills the Lunatic. Katrina, pondering her feelings for two men, wanders into the forest. The Headless Horseman is pulled to her, but is unable to hurt her. Katrina's purity has power; and she escapes.

Fireflies

Maxine Carter, Madison Cooper, Alexa Feldman, Maddie Feldman, Helena Hunter, Dylan Hurley, Elisabeth Mellen or Haiku Burgiel, Caroline Hold, Charlotte Guidi or Mirai Kobayashi, Jeanette Hiyama, Indya S. Gregory-Jerome or Genevieve Gallant, Emilia Thein or Isabelle Wydler, Bridgett Scott or Sofia Jadotte, Kathryn Kasmar or Eva Campbell, Julia Turnage or Marion LoPresti, Ariella Cymerman, Chiyo Jeffcock or NaKhyla Ligonde, Christina Range

The Church, the Wedding, and Beyond...

The Sunday service ends in a joyful church social. Brom asks Katrina to marry him; a resolute Katrina accepts. Incredulous, Ichabod intervenes and a fight ensues. Ichabod is trounced and Brom and Katrina marry.

A crushed Ichabod heads home, alone. The Headless Horseman appears. After a harrowing flight through the woods, the Headless Horseman swings his sword...

Brom and Katrina's Son

Jacob Liberman or Jonah Roark

ABOUT WASHINGTON IRVING

Washington Irving (1783-1859) was the United State's first "best-selling" author reaching international fame for his fictional works, including the stories Rip Van Winkle (1819) and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820). One of 11 children born to Scottish-English immigrant parents, he was named Washington after revolutionary hero George Washington. Irving attended the first presidential inauguration of his namesake in 1789. Irving served as the United States ambassador to Spain and helped to promote international copyright before his death in 1859.

To post a comment, you must register and login.