Sleepy Hollow aims for the Broadway Stage

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 11:43pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=10922

Hmm..there are a few clips on the website that the article provides for us. I really like "Only a dream". Thoughts? Anyone attend the reading?

[Reverie]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 11:53pm

It sounds interesting. I really enjoyed Only a Dream too and Choir Rehearsal was funny.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 11:55pm

"I think the show is a winner," said Stempin, the show's librettist.

One would have hoped, he would have said that..

[Phantom05]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:14am

My only problem with this version of the classic, is the fact that the headless horseman seems to no longer be the prominent figure that he is in everyone's mind. This story wouldn't have been a success without the character of the headless horseman, so why not utilize that?

I have read the book many times and find it really enjoyable, but to be perefctly honest, if the 1999 Tim Burton version had been the originally novelized work, it would have been the success. I would love to see Tim Burton direct his version for the stage, and to have Danny Elfman score the music and vocals, what a dream.

This version being discussed is a nice attempt, but honestly, people want to be "brilliantly-scared," and this version just doesn't cut it...Give me Tim Burton's version any day of the week and twice on Sunday!

Here's for being truly chilled!

Phantom05

[Yero]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:48am

I'm not too familiar with this, but I did like Only a Dream.. it sounded like I heard it before somewhere (not literally), but I still liked it.

Posted: 7/17/06 at 10:15am

I hope it's more successful than the 1948 musical starring Gil Lamb and Mary McCarty that lasted 12 performances at the St. James.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 10:22am

It sounded extremely mediocre. I hope they're kidding.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 10:33am

How do you do the Legend of Sleepy Hollow without the actual "legend" itself? Toning down (or all but losing) the headless horseman sounds like a terribly misguided idea.

Kinda like "Let's do Evita, but we'll make Eva Peron a small, background role."

Hmmmmm...

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 10:35am

Sort of like doing The Producers with someone other than Max. Why ?

[Yero]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 10:38am

"Sort of like doing The Producers with someone other than Max. Why ?"
No, not really...

[actingstar08]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 10:50am

they're taking the wrong aproach to this musical. calling it a family musical and keeping the music light, destroys the entire concept of this age-old tale. it should be a dark musical with haunting melodies and chasing themes. the music samples are average at best and unless some things change (like EVERYthing) i will be very dissapointed when/if this goes to broadway. as one of my favorite tales, i'd hate to see it ruined. a LOSH musical could be great, but from what i can tell about this one, Stempin and Crowley have not created that.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 11:34am

The LOSH is The Headless Horseman so if you take the horseman away the reason for the story is gone

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 11:35am

Yes. Isn't that what was just said?

I can't see this show making it to Broadway. And if they do, they need to hire a new graphic designer.

[SullyB]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:34pm

I was at the reading and I can tell you that the show is very good. I loved the music; so much more engaging than the pop and rock populating Broadway right now. There is plenty of attention paid to the Headless Horseman, and there are some truly scary and creepy moments, including several right at the top of the show. But if you remember the original book, the majority of the story is focused on the love triangle between Ichabod, Katrina, and Brom.

I also read the article and they didn't say anything about eliminating the Horseman from the story, only striking a healthy balance between scary and romantic. If you haven't seen the show, I recommend that you do the next time it is staged. That way you can have a more informed discussion.

[broadwaybound882]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:49pm

I can truly pick out my principle cast for this:
Michael Cerveris as Ichabod
Kristin Chenowith as Katrina
Bernadette Peters as Lady Von Tassel
Marc Kudisch as Brom Van Brunt
Drew Sarich as the Horseman

[musicalkid]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 2:57pm

I didn't like the song smaple AT ALL. sounds like another Wildhorn musical, and a BAD one at that. another romantic, dark gothic show.
"only a dream" is (to me) lousy through and through, bad lyrics, bad music, trying and not succeeding in being romantic. plain blah.

I WILL say though that choir practice brought a smile to my face.
oh well...

[SullyB]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 3:46pm

Damn those dark, gothic, romantic shows! Maybe it'll go to Broadway and stay there for 15 years. Then we can all get on this board and trash it on a daily basis.

I really enjoyed 'Only a Dream.' One of the few contemporary musical theatre songs that doesn't have incessant drum banging or an electric guitar. Maybe I'm partial because I'm a music teacher, or the fact that I also enjoy R&H, and all the other greats of the golden era.

Do you really think Crowley's music sounds like Wildhorn? Wildhorn's music is pop-rock trying to sound legit. When this show does get to Broadway, I hope they employ an actual orchestra with real strings, brass, and winds. No back beats or electric instruments. Just good old-fashioned real music. The score deserves it.

[Pasty]

Posted: 7/19/06 at 10:08pm

Being apart of the Center Stage Players production I can give some firsthand experience.

First, the music is probably the strongest component of the show. Though personally I think there's still alot of work there. It has some great musical ideas (only a dream, for good, and I used to love you in particular)that just need some expansion and some songs need reviewed/rewritten. As far as what the music sounds like, I think it borrows alot from other shows. I can definately hear influence of beauty and the beast, phantom of the opera and to a lesser extent J&H. The solos are fun, important and seem to impress the audience, but the chorus numbers are lacking depth and purpose.

Second, the book is the weakest part of the show. It's very wordy, long and drawn out. It has a feel as if it were written for radio. I'm not sure what draft was read at the recent reading but if it resembled anything what we were given I'm suprised how well it was recieved. The book feels more like a rough draft in dire need of editing and fact checking rather than a final product. Written in a period style, it doesn't stay true to the time period at all times. We've managed to find some things that we were able to cut because of its length. Our show runs at about 2 and a half hours. I can't believe it being any shorter than 3+ at the reading which is LONG for a show let alone a reading.

Personally I think the show has a future although it has alot of work ahead of it. Aiming for the broadway stage? Probably not anytime in the near future. Something I dislike is how the headless horseman isn't involved in the show until the end of act II. I wish for some more character developement in future revisions because as it stands now the characters feel and read one dimensional. Some more interaction and developement between brom/ichabod would be nice too.

All in all a cute show brought down by a long drawn out script. I'm enjoying being apart of this production and am curious to see where this show goes in the future.

Chris
Ichabod Crane
Center Stage Players

[vjRichie]

Posted: 8/1/06 at 9:01pm

Chenowith is said to be in talks with the producers. From a reliable source!

[rclocalz]

Posted: 8/1/06 at 9:10pm

Well holy crap!