The Secret Of Sleepy Hollow by John Trent from Washington Irving

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This Play is the copyright of the Author and may not be performed, copied or sold without the Author's prior consent

ACT ONE

PROLOGUE

The lights are set to a ghostly effect

Throughout the prologue other spirits and visions can appear

Towards the end of the prologue the sound of a horse gallop can be
heard

It begins to get louder and at the end of the prologue the horse
gallop is almost deafening

The APPARITION'S enter at different places

During scene they move about the stage and into the audience

APPARITION 1: A pleasing land of drowsy head it was,
Of dreams that wave before the half-shut eye;
And of gay castles in the clouds that pass,
Forever flushing round a summer sky.

APPARITION 2: In the bosom of one of those spacious coves which indent
the eastern shore of the Hudson there lies a small market town or
rural port, generally and properly known by the name of Tarry Town.

APPARITION 3: Not far from this village, perhaps about two miles,
there is a little valley or rather lap of land among high hills, which
is one of the quietest places in the whole world.

APPARITION 1: A small brook glides through it, with just murmur enough
to lull one to repose;

APPARITION 2 And the occasional whistle of a quail or tapping of a
woodpecker is almost the only sound that ever breaks in upon the
uniform tranquility.

APPARITION 3 From the listless repose of the place, and the peculiar
character of its inhabitants, who are descendants from the original
Dutch settlers, this sequestered glen has long been known by the name
of SLEEPY HOLLOW.

APPARITION 1: A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land,
and to pervade the very atmosphere.

APPARITION 2: Some say that the place was bewitched by a High German
doctor, during the early days of the settlement;

APPARITION 3: Others, that an old Indian chief, the prophet or wizard
of his tribe, held his powwows there before the country was discovered
by Master Hendrick Hudson.

APPARITION 1: Certain it is, the place still continues under the sway
of some witching power that holds a spell over the minds of the good
people, causing them to walk in a continual reverie.

APPARITION 2: They are given to all kinds of marvelous beliefs; are
subject to trances and visions.

APPARITION 3: And frequently see strange sights, and hear music and
voices in the air.

APPARITION 1: The whole neighborhood abounds with local tales, haunted
spots, and twilight superstitions.

APPARITION 2: Stars shoot and meteors glare oftener across the valley
than in any other part of the country.

APPARITION 3: And the nightmare, with her whole nine fold, seems to
make it the favorite scene of her gambols.

APPARITION 1: The dominant spirit, however, that haunts this enchanted
region, and seems to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the
air,

APPARITION 2: Is the apparition of a figure on horseback, without a
head.

APPARITION 3: It is said by some to be the ghost of a Hessian
trooper;

APPARITION 1: Whose head had been carried away by a cannon-ball, in
some nameless battle during the Revolutionary War.

APPARITION 2: And who is ever and anon seen by the country folk
hurrying along in the gloom of night, as if on the wings of the wind.

APPARITION 3: His haunts are not confined to the valley, but extend at
times to the adjacent roads.

APPARITION 1: And especially to the vicinity of a church at no great
distance.

APPARITION 2: Indeed, certain of the most authentic historians of
those parts, allege that the body of the trooper having been buried in
the churchyard,

APPARITION 3: Rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of
his head.

APPARITION 1: And that the rushing speed with which he sometimes
passes along the Hollow,

APPARITION 2: Like a midnight blast, is owing to his being belated;

APPARITION 3: And in a hurry to get back to the churchyard before
daybreak.

APPARITION 1: Such is the general purport of this legendary
superstition,

APPARITION 2: Which has furnished materials for many a wild story in
this region of shadows.

APPARITION 3: And the specter is known at all the country firesides.

APPARITION 1: By the name of.

APPARITON 2: The Headless Horseman.

APPARITON 3: Of Sleepy Hollow.

A head drops from above and lights go out

Note: The prologue is taken from the original writings of Washington
Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".

SCENE 1

AN UNKNOWN TIME

Lights come up slowly

It is dusk

There is an old bridge up stage right. It is covered with ivy and
overgrown gnarled shrubs are along the side.

We hear the occasional cry of an owl that drowns out the unseen river
that is beyond the twisted trees that line upstage from the bridge to
stage left

All the trees, ivy, shrubs and the bridge are black and white with
some shades of gray

There is the sound of thunder in the distance

After a moment two teenage boys run into the woods

Joshua is a couple of years older than Caleb

Caleb is carrying a lantern

JOSHUA: Caleb, did you see which way that coon went?

CALEB: I think it ran onto the bridge.

JOSHUA: Well let's stop wasting time and go get it.

CALEB: I'm not going on that bridge. I've heard the stories that
people tell.

JOSHUA: You don't really believe them do you? I don't believe in
all that stuff about witches or a headless horseman.

CALEB: I don't know if it's true, but I rather not go. It's
really creepy around hereSince that night a few weeks ago. Plus it
looks like it may start raining soon. Let's just forget about that
coon and head on back home.

JOSHUA: You're chicken aren't you?

CALEB: NoI'm not.

JOSHUA: If we don't catch that coon we'll never be able to become
Sleepy Hollow Boys.

CALEB: Is it really that important? Do you really want to be one that
bad?

JOSHUA: Yes. Don't you?

CALEB: Not really. I don't care about all that stuff. I only wanted
to do it because you told me to.

JOSHUA: (Getting upset) Well, if you're chicken why don't you just
go on home and I'll catch that coon all by myself.

CALEB: You're going to stay out here all by yourself?

JOSHUA: Yes. I'm not a chicken. I don't care what's over there.
I'm not scared. And if you're too scared to go on that bridge,
I'll go alone. I don't need you. So why don't you just get on
home you coward.

CALEB: I really don't think you should do it. I don't think it's
safe.

JOSHUA: I don't care what you think. Just get out of here. (He grabs
the lantern from Caleb) Now get out of here. (He chases Caleb off.
Caleb exits) What a coward. I can't believe people listen to all of
those crazy stories. Mothers make all that stuff up just to keep us in
at night. (He begins moving towards the bridge. The sound of thunder
is getting closer. Now there is a bit of lightning above) It won't
take me too long to catch that stupid coon and I'll show Caleb.
(There is the sound of someone walking on dried leaves behind Joshua.
Joshua jumps and turns around. He holds the lantern up to try and see
who it was. There is no one there.) Caleb! Is that you? Are you too
chicken to go home alone now? (No response. Joshua is starting to get
a bit nervous. He starts walking back towards where he heard the
sound) Caleb, I know that's you, so why don't you come out and we
can get this coon and head on home. (As the lightning strikes again we
get the glimpse of a dark figure behind Joshua. Joshua jumps again and
turns around. Joshua holds his lantern out in front of him, but by
this time the Dark Figure is gone. He is looking off towards where he
thought he heard something and towards the bridge) Maybe getting this
coon wasn't such a good idea. Maybe I should head on back home
myself. I can always get a coon another day. (Just as he turns around
to head on back home there is a Tall Dark Figure behind him. Joshua
screams. The Dark Figure is holding a cloth bag in one hand and grabs
Joshua with the other hand. His face is covered with a hood so the
audience cannot see it)

DARK FIGURE: (In an eerie voice) Did I startle you? There is no need
to be scaredYet.

JOSHUA: Let me go. (Pulls away from Dark Figure) Who are you?

DARK FIGURE: There is no need to hurry. You still have time. The
spirits don't appear until after dusk.

JOSHUA: (Calming down a bit and trying to be brave) Sprits? You
believe in all those stories that people tell?

DARK FIGURE: No. (Pause) I don't believe in those stories. (Pause) I
only know what I have seen.

JOSHUA: (Trying not to show his fear) What have you seen?

DARK FIGURE: Are you sure you want to hear "my stories"?

JOSHUA: They can't be any more stupid then all the other stories I
have heard. I'll listen.

DARK FIGURE: Very well. But don't blame me if you're secret begins
to haunt you.

JOSHUA: (Trying to hide his guilt) What do you mean, if my secret
begins to haunt me?

DARK FIGURE: Everyone has secrets. It's the ones people try to keep
in the dark that haunt themThe one's they bury can kill them.

JOSHUA: Well, I don't know what you're talking about.

DARK FIGURE: Of course you do. Some from the village have buried a
very dark secret in this very grove. It will drive them back here like
a horse is drawn to water and it's going to kill every one of them.

JOSHUA: (Trying to hide what he knows) I don't know anything about
any secret buried here.

DARK FIGURE: Yes you do. You wouldn't be out here if you didn't
know.

JOSHUA: If you know what it is, why don't you tell me?

DARK FIGURE: Trying to act brave or stupid is not going to save you.
You should know it's not safe out here. Alone or even with someone,
you shouldn't be out here. This is the darkest place in the world.
Everyone's secrets hide in these shadows, but when the sun sets they
come outBut this doesn't seem to bother you.

JOSHUA: I thought you were going to tell me about the things you have
seen.

DARK FIGURE: Yes. You're right. I should tell you before it's too
late. I was a young man a bit older then you. I had wandered into this
grove of tall walnut-trees that shades one side of the valley. It was
early evening, when all nature is peculiarly quiet. I had heard the
stories and legends and knew it best to not linger too longBut I
was tired and a bit weary. I was also a bit overwrought. It had been a
long and arduous day. I wanted a little respite so I rested near the
foot of that bridge. I was planning on staying for just one moment,
but I was too exhausted. I was awakened by the sound of the moon
coming through the trees. As I sat up I brushed myself off and
realized I had been here too long. I heard voices all around me. But I
could not see them. The voices wandered off into the distance and then
it was silent. Almost dead-like. That is when I saw them.

JOSHUA: Saw who? What?

DARK FIGURE: The spirits that haunt these shadows. The dead that runs
through these trees and the blood that lives in this ground.

JOSHUA: (A bit nervous) Is this true?

DARK FIGURE: What do your secrets tell you?

JOSHUA: I think you're making all of this up. You said you were
going to tell me what you saw. Those are the same stories that
everyone tells.

DARK FIGURE: Yes they tell them, but they have not seen them. Anyone
who has seen them has not lived to tell.

JOSHUA: Then how come you say you have seen them? You're alive.

DARK FIGURE: (Slowly turns towards Joshua) Am I?

JOSHUA: (Scared) Who are you?

DARK FIGURE: (Slowly moving towards Joshua) I am the strange sights
that people tell about. I am the music and voices in the air. I am
everybody's darkest secrets. (He opens up bag he has been carrying)
You're friend had many. (Dumps out Caleb's head from bag)

JOSHUA: (Frightened) Caleb! You're crazy!

DARK FIGURE: It's too late.

JOSHUA: Too late for what?

DARK FIGURE: To get away. (He starts to move towards Joshua)

JOSHUA: (Starts to move away from the Dark Figure) Stay away from me.

DARK FIGURE: Run if you must, but don't hide in the shadows.

(Joshua starts to run, but is stopped by wolves that have entered. He
starts backing away. The Dark Figure grabs Joshua and drags him behind
a tree. After a loud scream, Joshua falls from behind tree and The
Dark Figure walks out from behind the tree. The wolves feast on the
carcass as the lights fade and the Dark Figure walks onto the bridge)

[end of extract]

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