‘It was a headless horseman!’

Ready to be spooked this weekend?

The classic tale with Ichabod Crane, Katrina Van Tassel, Brom Bones and the Headless Horseman will take the Creston High School stage this weekend in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

Shows will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7, with a 2 p.m. show on Sunday, March 8.

With a script variation written by Tracy Wells, this version of the tale originally written in 1820 by Washington Irving will have family-friendly comedic horror performed, as always, by Creston high school students.

Ichabod Crane, a quirky new arrival in the eerie town of Sleepy Hollow, quickly catches the eye of Katrina Van Tassel. However, the scheming Brom Bones tries to frighten Ichabod with tales of ghosts and a horseman missing his head.

All the while, separate from Brom’s pranks, something mysterious is happening in the superstitious Sleepy Hollow. In the dark woods, the sound of a clopping horse echoes through the trees. Those who venture alone tend to disappear.

Told in two acts, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” will offer chills, mystery, laughs and even a bit of romance. With authentic costuming and talented performances from young actors, this is the event of the spring.

The all-school play marks the end of a whirlwind season for the speech and drama department, fresh off of all-state competitions and into the beginning of individual speech. With a quick turnaround for students to learn their parts and the production, it’s up to the students to step up.

“It’s all hands on deck to help the all school play be a success,” Director Laura Granger said. “The cast and crew all help each other out backstage and on stage. The play is a very fast process of only four weeks! The kids learn to balance their workload and take the initiative when it comes to improving their skills.”

One of the decisions made by the student cast is for the ending of the show. Wells’ script offers multiple endings, with Granger cooperating with the cast in choosing which ending they liked best.

With “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” being the final show for speech and drama for the school year, and the last performance from many CCHS seniors, emotions can be sentimental.

“The end of the speech and drama season is always bittersweet,” Granger said. “I will miss the seniors dearly. So many fun times and memories made. They are a talented bunch that inspire their teammates and me to greatness.”