Daytime visitors to The Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow are invited to experience The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, as told by Master Storyteller Jim Keyes during the month of October. Produced by Historic Hudson Valley, daytime performances have been added to accommodate the demand for this popular tale of Ichabod Crane, Brom Bones, Katrina Van Tassel, and The Headless Horseman. As this story took place in The Old Dutch of Sleepy Hollow, this classic story by Washington Irving is an autumnal event that’s not to be missed. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for children.
Based on the original story by Washington Irving, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow tells the story of Tarrytown, a place where strange things happen and the townsfolk seem entranced by spirits and ghouls. Ichabod Crane, a teacher who comes to live in Tarrytown, meets a mysterious fate. Legend has it that he is the victim of the dreaded ‘headless horseman’ who allegedly haunts Sleepy Hollow. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is faithful to Washington Irving’s original story, and No fall season is complete without the telling of this autumnal classic.
Jim Keyes is not new to this timeless story of love and legends. For the last ten years, he has been the organist for the evening performances given by storyteller Jonathan Kruk. “When I was a kid, I actually had a poster of the Headless Horseman postage stamp hanging on my wall!”, says Keyes, “I’ve had the privilege of accompanying Master Storyteller Jonathan Kruk for years now, and will continue to do so. I’m so excited to be getting out from behind the organ to put my own spin on the tale. I’ll be accompanied by Master Musician Ayodele Maakheru, who will bring his own flavor to the performance.”
Historic Hudson Valley is a not-for-profit educational and historic preservation organization headquartered in Tarrytown, New York. Historic Hudson Valley was formally founded in 1951 as Sleepy Hollow Restorations by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who was deeply interested in preserving places of historic importance. Rockefeller provided the funding for the establishment of Colonial Williamsburg, among other projects. Close to Rockefeller’s Hudson Valley country house were Sunnyside, the home of the celebrated writer Washington Irving, Philipsburg Manor, and Van Cortlandt Manor. He saw in all three the potential to educate the public about the history and culture of the Hudson River Valley and wished to assure their preservation and public access.
The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Dutch Reformed Church (Sleepy Hollow), is a 17th-century stone church located on Albany Post Road in Sleepy Hollow, New York, United States. It and its five-acre churchyard feature prominently in Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. The churchyard is often confused with the contiguous but separate Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.
For tickets and more information, please visit www.HudsonValley.org