Mill Mountain Theatre is paving the way for regional theatres across the country with their digital content, including the virtual release of Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical this past September, the ongoing Meet Me At Mill Mountain: The Podcast, and continued education programming. Now, the theatre is gearing up for its upcoming digital release of the 2017 Young Audiences production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, adapted from the story by Washington Irving. This free, streamed production will be available to the public from October 26 – November 1 via MMT’s YouTube Channel.
It’s Halloween night and Will invites his friends up to the attic to tell spooky stories. When the children find a copy of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in an old trunk, they decide to act it out using things they find in the attic. Originally published in 1820, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow tells the story of Ichabod Crane and his attempt to win the heart of the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel. This comical and ghostly tale follows Crane through the town of Sleepy Hollow, NY, where he is visited by a mysterious ghost, the Headless Horseman. This inventive and theatrical retelling of Irving’s classic story is perfect Halloween fun for the whole family.
The streamed production will include the theatre’s archival footage of the show followed by an exclusive actor talkback, hearing from the actors three years later about their favorite memories from working on the production. This unique adaptation puts a new spin on the classic story, while retaining the integrity of the famous tale. “I wanted to tell the original story with Ichabod and the Headless Horseman, but also have new characters created by these actors,” says Playwright Christopher Castanho. “Having the opportunity to originate a role is such a unique experience, and it was a gift watching our actors rise to the occasion.” This script was written exclusively for MMT’s 2017 season as part of their initiative to sponsor new work within an educational environment.
“In this production, we used flashlights, shadow-play, and puppetry to tell Ichabod Crane’s story in a whole new way,” says Travis Kendrick, Director. “The cast was so collaborative and brought so many creative ideas to the table – this was a very memorable production for MMT. You won’t want to miss it!”
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow streams FREE from October 26 – November 1 on Mill Mountain Theatre’s YouTube channel. Visit millmountain.org to learn more.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow features Colby Ervin (Ichabod/Will), Caitlin Carter (Katrina/Rachel), Charles Meidlinger (Brom Bones/Casper), James Moledor (Hans Van Ecke/Richard), Haley Chey Lynch (Mrs. Van Ripper/Dawn), Mo Riego De Dios (Iris/Sarah), Sawyer Mullins (Mr. Van Tassel/Michael), and Caroline Moledor (Mrs. Van Tassel/Katie). The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was directed by Travis Kendrick, adapted by Christopher Castanho, and stage managed by Henry Stevens, with costume design by Layla Izabella, scenic & sound design by Travis Kendrick, lighting design by Adam Neely, videography by Rick Riego de Dios, and video editing by Payton Moledor.
Sponsors of the 2017 Young Audiences Series included American National Bank, Carilion Clinic Children’s Hospital, chocolatepaper, Claytor/Wirt Associates, Davis H. Elliot Co., Friendship Foundation, The Kroger Co., Lanford Brothers Co., LeClairRyan, Roanoke Valley Orthodontics, and Woods Rogers PLC.
MMT’s 2020 Season Sponsors include: Avis Construction Company, Inc.; BB&T Wealth, Blue Ridge Beverage Co., Inc.; Boxley Materials Co.; Brandon Oaks Retirement Community; Business Solutions Inc.; chocolatepaper; Claytor / Wirt Associate; The Convergence Group at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management; Davenport & Co.; Davis H. Elliot Co.; Dixon Hubard Feinour & Brown; Dominion Risk Advisors; The Dunkenberger Waskey Group at Morgan Stanley; Elk Hill Advisors, Inc.; Entre Computer Center; First Citizens Bank & Trust Co.; 5Points Creative; Freedom First Credit Union; Friendship Foundation; Frith Anderson + Peake; Gentry Locke Attorneys; The Glebe; Harry “Skip” W. Hamilton, III at Davenport & Company; John H. and Michelle S. Higginbotham Family Foundation; Howell’s Motor Freight Inc.; Innovative Insurance Group; Interactive Design Group; Jewell Machinery, Inc.; Lunsford, A Trustpoint Company; Member One Federal Credit Union; Miller, Long & Associates & Mr. and Mrs. Samuel B. Long; Oakey’s Funeral Service and Crematory; P1 Technologies, Inc.; Pinnacle Financial Partners; B. J. Preas; Roanoke Animal Hospital; The Roanoke Star.com; Roanoke Valley Orthodontics; Rutherfoord, a Marsh and McLennan Agency; Skyline Capital Strategies LLC; Skyline National Bank; Sun Tan City; Woods Rogers. Grantors include City of Roanoke Arts Commission; City of Salem; Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia; Sam and Marion Golden Helping Hand Foundation; The Kiwanis Club of Roanoke; The Louise R. Lester Foundation; Helen S. and Charles G. Patterson Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; Southeastern Theatre Conference; Virginia Commission for the Arts; Actors’ Equity Association; Blue Star Theatres; Center in the Square; Theatre Communications Group; WVTF/Radio IQ.
