Peter Boyer. Photo by DJ Corey Photography.
“The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow” is well known to many with its headless horseman carrying a pumpkin in place of a head. This version by John Minigan is framed using the postscript of the short story where Washington Irving describes hearing the tale in a tavern through another, allowing Irving himself to tell the story in this phenomenal one man show. The Washington Stage Guild’s production is directed by Steven Carpenter who does a fantastic job of emphasizing the nature of the storytelling itself in this production.
…phenomenal one man show.
This adaptation of the short story features Peter Boyer as all of the characters, (including Washington Irving) and he absolutely delivers. He begins as Washington Irving then acts out all of the characters in his stories, making them unique with a change in voice or mannerism. Many of these moments got laughs from the audience, especially Ichabod who was endowed with a slightly ridiculous walk. A few of the school children are even portrayed. Costume designer Cody Van Ruden gives Boyers clothes that are period appropriate, with layers of coats that also allow for very subtle changes for the variety of characters. This includes an entertaining moment where Ichabod is dancing with his coat to represent the party where the horseman’s story is first told.
The audience never sees the horseman itself, but he is implied through sound design by Thom J. Woodward with plenty of the sound of hooves and neighing of horses. Surprisingly there is no pumpkin featured either, just mentioned as the related story is told. The suspense of waiting for the horseman to appear is palpable throughout the performance, especially in two blackout moments. Yet Boyers does a masterful job of bringing the audience back to Irving’s telling without breaking the spookiness of this key moment.
Lighting plays a prominent part in creating the scary ambiance, and Marianne Meadows delivers with her lighting design. One standout moment was, as the story of the headless horseman first gets told to Ichabod, the lighting dims to look like a campfire, with the face half-lit and half in darkness, adding to the spooky vibe. Lighting in the background for the different times of day fade in and out. Boyer lights a single match that lights the candles at the start and snuffs them out at the end in a way that also beautifully highlights the beginning and the ending of the story.
For a small stage, the intricate wooden set by Brandon Roak is impressive. The wooden framework of a house in disrepair allows the audience to see the sky outside which is highlighted by lighting. Yet the house works well in all of its settings: the tavern in which Irving is telling the story, the school house, and Ichabod’s humble home. There are basically no major scene changes, minus moving tables and using items as horses. Katrina’s fancy home, which Ichabod longs to be a part, is a minor spot where this set is out of place, but that is basically a non issue when remembering that Irving is telling the story.
Washington Stage Guild’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is a not-to-be-missed production. Those who love classic American literature will appreciate how closely this production follows the short story. Anyone will love the play as a way to ease into spooky season. Those with a love of theatre will appreciate how Boyer spins the tale and uniquely portrays all of the characters in the telling.
Running Time: One hour and 30 minutes with no intermission.
“The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow” runs through October 18, 2026 at Washington Stage Guild, 900 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20001. For more information and to purchase tickets, please call the Box Office at 202.900.8788 go online.
