As the lights dim in the Coppell High School Ninth Grade Center Dome, an eerie atmosphere envelopes CHS9’s production of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
Taking place in the post-revolutionary war era in Connecticut, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” highlights the CHS9 theater students skills in acting, set design and sound and direction, bringing Washington Irving’s classic tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman to life.
“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” plays in the CHS9 Dome on Oct. 26-28.
The play’s lead character, Crane, is portrayed by freshman Dee Raibourn. Crane is a timid school teacher who competes for Katrina Van Tassel’s affection but is haunted by the ghostly Headless Horseman. As he dives into the character of Crane, Raibourn draws inspiration from various adaptations he has watched online and is ready to put his own spin on the character.
“I just like being a little crazy,” Raibourn said. “I like putting on accents and fun voices and just being a different person.”
Having previously taken on lead roles, Raibourn thinks acting at CHS9 presents more freedom compared to middle school productions.
“We have a lot more say in what we do, which is pretty cool,” Raibourn said. “It’s a lot less of the director telling us what to do and it’s more up to your interpretation.”
Antagonist Brom Bones, played by freshman Nicolas Nieto, is a rough, bully-like character. Playing the villain is a departure from Nieto’s usual comedic roles.
“It’s uncomfortably hard just because I don’t usually play mean people, and playing a bully is kind of scary, but it’s very fun,” Nieto said.
Freshman Claire McSpadden plays Van Tassel, a “shallow and self-obsessed” character, dug deep to understand Van Tassel’s superficial nature. However, her passion for seeing the show come together keeps her motivated.
“I think it’s kind of hard to interpret her because I feel like I’m very different from my character,” McSpadden said.
In addition to the performances, the technical team is taking creative liberties in designing the set and costumes. The costume and set design process requires significant planning, with the team creating vision boards, marking up scripts and sourcing materials from thrift stores and online vendors. The team is collaborating with Rosa’s Costume Shop in Denton to rent specialized costumes and piecing together other elements to create a haunting figure on stage.
“We’re really excited about these trees we’re building,” technical theater director Colin Thomas said. “Our storytellers will play a huge part in this production with transitions.”
Sound designer Inban Murugam plays a different role: working behind the scenes. His task is to ensure the chilling, suspenseful mood of Sleepy Hollow, enhanced with sound effects and music. Murugum has been searching for period-appropriate music such as folk tunes featuring violins and acoustic instruments.
“Right now, I am analyzing the script for all the sounds, whether it’s music, swelling or sound effects,” Murugam said.
CHS9 theater director Eugenia Montoya is proud of the hard work and dedication each student has shown in the production, understanding which student would best fit each character.
“One of the biggest challenges we faced was casting the show,” Montoya said. “In the end, I think we got it right.”
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