Coming Soon: Totem by the Cirque du Soleil and Special Offer

That's it, I got my tickets for opening night: one for my mom, two for my girls, two for hubby and I. The Cirque du Soleil show Totem runs from October 28 through December 18, 2011 in San Francisco, a grand appetizer before the holiday craze. It'll be staged in a big tent by the AT&T Park. As I'm going to review the show on Frog Mom, I'm lucky to score 2 tickets and I get to share a 20% discount with my readers. Savvy?

Discount
When ordering your tickets, click on this link and enjoy a 20% discount off the general admission price. That's substantial savings given the price of the seats. Hey, you get to enjoy more popcorn! Or get the music CD to take home. Or both.

The Show
Obviously I haven't seen the show yet but my first thought when I saw the poster was "OMG, they're doing Avatar on stage?" That's what it looked like with the trees and the blue and the water and the guy dressed in green. It was a bit I-see-you-ish.

Then I read the synopsis: "TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations. Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species. Somewhere between science and legend TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential."

Ah, so there is Avatar potential! But mostly there's a big WOW potential. The only show of the Cirque du Soleil I ever saw was Corteo in San Jose in 2006 and I was amazed by the grandiose decadence and extravagance of it all. My daughter was 3 years old then and absolutely not old enough to appreciate the many facets of the show but she still enjoyed the lights, the sound and the music.

This Friday, I expect nothing less than to be impressed.

What I Want To Know About This Show
What will I look for in Friday's show? Obviously, I want to know what's an appropriate age for kids to attend so you can take your whole tribe. I also want to know if it's scary, if it's funny, if my girls will want to run out the door or if they will be transfixed on their seats. I want to know that adults enjoy the show to the fullest, that it's complex yet accessible, that the music is as good as I remember it, that the overall quality of the show explains why people keep flying to Vegas to see O.

Most of all, I don't want to get bored and I don't think I will. I hate it when there are dull moments in a show and I'd like this one to make my heart beat fast like a James Bond movie.

Answers? Next week. Totem, I'm ready!

Review: Shrek the Musical rocks the stage with a few quirks

 

Fractured fairy tales give Shrek its quirky charm. Photo courtesy of SHN

"You're seven, Happy birthday! Now it's time to go away," sang Papa Ogre and Mama Ogre to their young Shrek, before telling him to hit the road and watch out for nasty people who'll hate him for his ugliness. "Every princess gets locked in a tower," said the king and the queen to their 7-year old Fiona, taking her to her prison with a cute kiddie suitcase where they packed her a "dollie" so she could wait for her prince. Now that was a kickass opening sequence! If only the rest had been as irresistible, Shrek the musical would be the best musical I've seen with the kids this year.


When Donkey steals the show. Photo
courtesy of SHN



On Wednesday, I was invited to see Shrek the Musical at the Orpheum Theatre as part of a mommy blogger event. To gather age-appropriate feedback, I brought my very own little Shrek-xperts: my two girls ages 5 and 7 and a little friend age 7. Impatience was palpable in the audience at 2pm and when the show started, all voices shushed immediately.

Two and a half hours later, this is what the 7-year-olds (grinning from ear to ear) had to say/yell to me: "That was awesome! It was so fun when Shrek and Fiona farted and burped at each other!" Proving the point, they tried to burp at each other. The 5-year-old went "Princess Fiona is so pretty" and sighed, cupping her hands and rolling her eyes.

 I was happy but deep inside, not entirely convinced. Here's what I think: this show is great for older kids. It's obvious the 2nd graders, the post-Captain Underpants crowd, enjoyed it. They talked about it at school the next day and were thrilled they met Shrek at the end. However it was too long for my 5-year old who almost fell asleep before the intermission. I wasn't that grabbed either at the end of the first act. I felt it dragged on and on and as a spectactor, I wanted either more acting and less singing or less of everything.

Princess Fiona's Pied Piper Rats dance is one of the best
moments of the show. Photo courtesy of SHN

The beauty of the movie is that it's 90 minutes long. It's action-packed, plot-driven and scandalously funny. The musical is 150 minutes long. Even substracting 15 minutes of intermission, that's 45 extra minutes of dance numbers and new songs that are not all that catchy. The show is redeemed by Broadway-quality singing and the biggest variety of moving sets I've ever seen but I still wish the show had been tightened more. Then it would have been perfect because the execution was fantastic.


Call me naive but I thought that Shrek the Musical was going to be a stage version of the movie. Sure, it's that and when it transcribes the movie on stage, it follows the script to a perfect T. However it also has an entirely different musical score, surprise twists, added scenes and that came as a surprise to me. I can't believe I was surprised, it's a musical for God's sake! Except for the song "I'm a believer," all songs are new. Some are A+ good - "I Think I Got You Beat," "What's Up, Duloc?" - but others are simply not my cup of tea - "Story of my Life," "Travel Song". Obviously there's a lot to say in favor of seeing musicals you already know (hey, easier to sing along), but I don't think I'll get the music to this one just yet.



Lord Farquaard is deliciously mean and egocentric. Photo
courtesy of SHN



Now the good news is, the "new" scenes are actually better than the original storyline. I loved when Princess Fiona danced with the rats of the Pied Piper or when Donkey sang with the three blind mice. All that rodent business was a riot. My girls loved "I Think I got You Beat" and all kids around me were in stitches when Fiona and Shrek exchanged loud burps and farts. Never underestimate the power of potty humor! The gingerbread man animated puppet was really well done and the tiny crooked legs of Lord Farquaard made us giggle each time he moved. I'll take that back: until the actor got up from his knees and my 5-year old looked at me in shock. He's a real man with real legs?? Wow, she was certainly surprised.

Donkey-dragon romance only happens in fairy tales.
Photo courtesy of SHN

Indeed, the four main characters (Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and Farquaard) survived the passage to stage very well. They even transcended their movie personae. Donkey sometimes steals the show - just can't help it, it's a great lovable character. Shrek is irreverent and generous, Fiona is funny and complex, and we love Lord Farquaard mean goofiness. However I can't say the fractured fairytales characters did as well. To me, the three bears looked like humans dressed up as bears. I wish we hadn't seen their faces because it made them not very believable for me. Not that the kids cared, by the way. They loved the Sugar Plum Fairy. And the wicked witch. And Gingy the gingerbread man. This morning at breakfast they were besting each other over "Yes Shrek's face is made of rubber!" None complained about this so take my words with a grain of salt. I bet the kids would love seconds of Shrek the Musical any day.

Have I mentioned the sets are unbelievable? I've hinted at it but I'll repeat it louder. The sets are super ingenious and move around so well you believe that the characters actually walk though the forest to get in front of the castle. I had no idea how they were going to render the gazillion backdrops of the movie and I was really impressed. Hats down to British set and costume designer Tim Hatley for impeccable scenic and costume design. That itself was worth the show.

Since kids are the target audience, I'd like to finish on what they liked most. No contest, it was the song "I'm a believer" at the end of the show and I agree on that. That song absolutely rocks and there's no better sendoff for a Shrek musical. All spectators stood up to clap, some danced and everybody smiled and sang along. Judging by the smile on kids faces in the lobby, I'd say it was a rousing success.

Go see Shrek with the kiddos!
Thanks to the Weekend Sherpa's e-newsletter, I can share a way to get tickets half price. Reserve your seats for just $49.50 (regularly priced $80-$99) by using the promo code 4SHREK at checkout. The offer expires on December 18th so don't delay. Get your tickets here.

And subscribe to the Weekend Sherpa's newsletter while you're on it. You'll get the inside scoop on lots of Bay Area places. It's easy, it's free and they know the Bay Area like the back of their hand. Sign up here.

Want to know what the kids thought? Check out this video put together by SHN:

The Great Dickens Fair is open - get in line for the bangers & mash!



Theatre at the Dickens Fair includes spectacular costumes - and a good dose of humor! Photo by C. G.

 Where can you get the following for $20? Musicals, children's theatre, puppet shows, toy parades, folk dancers, Christmas carols, 700 actors in period costumes including children - all in 3 acres of re-created Victorian London streets? Think explorers clubs, antique bookstores in alleyways, tea houses, London docks with pirate cove, parlour games, traditional English pubs and a man-powered carousel. Where then? Why, at The Great Dickens Fair of course! If you have never attended this San Francisco holiday tradition, run to the Cow Palace in Daly City and catch up on fun because it's a real treat and the rumor goes that even in Britain they don't have a Dickens Fair quite as nice. I, for one, haven't skipped a year since 2004 and that's all my kids talk about all year until we go again.



Lovely faeries at the Christmas Pantomime - Photo by C.G.

 The folks at the Dickens Fair are not early birds - the fair opens its doors at 11am. So when I go, we show up early to find street parking and quietly make our way to the doors. At 11.01am sharp we're inside and enjoy the waltzing dancers of Fezziwig's Dance Party until the Christmas Pantomime is minutes away at the Victoria & Albert Music Hall. Last year we saw Aladdin &Cinderella Meet The Monkey King and we're going for seconds this year because it was plain hilarious.

The Gilbert & Sullivan show is also a great family performance because it's an hour-long redux of a longer actual musical - with great singers and sets. After a few years of Pirates of Penzance (our favorite so far), the Gilbert & Sullivan is now The Mikado with the delightful Yum Yum.

Between shows, we roam the streets of London and this is what we never miss because a Dickens Fair wouldn't be complete without them:
- The Candy Machine. Do your kids love the eggs & sausages machine in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? This one starts with a balloon, darts and extreme skill! Once you pop the balloon, watch the crazy mechanism bring your child a candy cane - through many a ladder, slide, catapults and more. Love it!


The Great Dickens Christmas Fair is fun for the whole family!
Photo credit: Raymond Van Tassel

 - The Safari Carousel. Carousels date back to the 18th century. Back then they were just chairs on rotating arms. The first "horse and carriage" style carousels started appearing in the 1870's. The Dickens Fair's Safari Carousel draws long lines so get there early. A man clad in colonial attire pushes the animals where kids are seated and tells a fantastic safari adventure - with drum beats and fantastic finale. Kids get a great kick out of the man-powered effect.
- Boot the Cat. This one is so unPC, it's wonderful. Kids sit on a couch, grab a black boot and try to topple the cat on the fence. Great use for boots for which you've lost one foot.
- Children's Painting Garden. Oh we try to steer our kids away from this one but it's mission impossible. They just love painting a ceramic ornament to hang on our tree. Of course it weighs a ton and makes the trees' branches droop but they don't care - and now they're family keepsakes we cherish despite the kitsch factor.


Punch & Judy delight young audiences - Photo by C.G.



- Punch & Judy puppet show. Like there's no Renaissance Faire without grouchy Mr Punch and his pesky wife, there's no Dickens Fair without the pair either. Our kids love to watch the puppets quarrel and laugh at their antics. It reminds them of our French Guignol puppet character.

- Christmas Carols and the Paddy West School of Seamanship. Nothing says holidays like a bunch of Victorian ladies singing carols or rowdy sailors singing sea chanteys.

 Other than that what can I add? If your stomach is growling, you'll find delicious chicken pot pie, comforting bangers & mash, full-on turkey meals, fish & chips, pastas and sweet treats to tempt even content appetites. We love grabbing a paper bag of warm cinnamon crunchy almonds, they're so tasty when still warm. And for beer lovers, the Dickens Fair is trying something new this year. On December 12, the fair will host a BJCP-registered homebrew beer competition! That's on top of the absinthe and ale pubs. However, if as a true Englishman you want your beer served room-temperature, you may have to order it when you get in in the morning. In California, we still serve it chilled, even at the Dickens Fair!
 
Details:
http://www.dickensfair.com/
Days & Hours: Friday, Nov. 26; Weekends, Nov. 27 - Dec. 19, 2010, 11am-7pm
Admission: Adult/General Admission: $25; Senior (62+) / Student / Military: $21.00 (photo ID required);Children ages 5-11: $12.00; wee ones under 5 are free! 
Buy discounted tickets online before December 5 here
Parking: parking on site, street parking around the Cow Palace; free shuttles run every 20 minutes from Glen Park BART station.
December 11 & 12: Steam Explorers/Nemo’s Feast Theme Weekend

Festive Holidays in Period Costume

Nothing spells holidays and cheer like a Victorian postcard. To me, Victorians incarnate the essence of the holidays as we know them: snow, skaters, carolers, evergreens, plum puddings and a red plump Santa. Before the Victorians, religion and nature took over decorum and the year’s end holidays were celebrated - with as much good cheer and reveling - through a seasonal and nature magnifying glass. The winter solstice was sometimes as important as Christmas, and certainly more than the new year.

Yes, there's a lot to love about them all and fortunately, Northern California offers a cornucopia of holiday events in period costumes, covering from the Renaissance through the early 1900s. You want an early 19th century Bavarian feast with songs and dance? You got it. A Victorian tree with family ornaments in an 1886 Queen Anne house? You got it. A Renaissance black-tie banquet with singers from the San Francisco Opera? Done. That's why I like the holidays so much. They inspire great events that mix history and other cultures with a healthy dose of music and theatricals, leaving aside the commercial shiny plastic eyesores of the season. Here is my short list, in reverse chronological order, taking you from the Belle Epoque to the dark ages...

1901: Christmas at Sea
For one day on Saturday December 12, San Francisco's Hyde Street Pier historic ships celebrate a 1901 Christmas. Last year we went and loved listening to the Dogwatch Nautical band aboard the Eureka ferryboat. The kids made early 1900s crafts, then everybody ran out because Santa was arriving by boat. Ah, the joyous chaos of children hanging to the handrail to catch a glimpse of the red man. After Santa came inside, the children neatly lined up to tell him their wishes and receive a candy cane. It was great. The part I haven't seen yet but that I'm looking forward to see this year, starts at 6pm. At 6pm, costumed ship crew, passengers and San Franciscans come out of the dark and tell you stories of a bygone era on the three ships, all during a lamplit tour. Dress warmly, the night is cold!

1880s: The Great Dickens Fair
If you have never been to the Great Dickens Fair at San Francisco's Cow Palace, it is the place to elbow Tiny Tim and Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past in a microcosm of recreated London's Victorian streets. It starts the Friday after Thanksgiving and goes on every weekend until Christmas. With 600 costumed performers, men, women and children, the Dickens Fair is like no other event. It truly transports you to this faraway chestnut-scented London, with its street jugglers, man-powered carousel, and lively dances. We never miss Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance at the Imperial Music Hall, an action charged 60-minute rendition of the famous musical. And we also never miss a Punch & Judy puppet show.

1886: Haas Lilienthal House Museum
There is a Victorian house museum in San Francisco. Only one. It was built in 1886, housed 3 generations of the same family, and is now open to the public in Pacific Heights. On Sunday December 6, the holiday open house will include the 13-foot high Christmas tree with the Haas family ornaments in the front parlor, the train set in the basement (running with holiday lights for the occasion) and holiday decor throughout.

1850s: Columbia Lamplight Tour
In Northern California, a Gold Rush event seems de rigueur and Columbia is my absolute favorite Gold Rush town. Columbia State Historic Park is a town in the Sierra foothills that has been entirely frozen in time as a park - with period storefronts, book shops, hotels, dirt roads, small alleyways and saloons. On Friday December 4th and Saturday December 5th, costumed volunteers will take you through a magical evening through the city by lamp light. If you enjoy a change of scenery, go for it. Columbia faces drastic budget cuts each year and this event doubles as a fundraiser.

1800s: The Christmas Revels
Last year's Christmas show by the California Revels included an English manor as a stage for a winter solstice celebration; a story called "The King & The Fool" told at bedtime by a father to his children; knights and dragons; and old Wessex carols. Our children laughed and hid behind their hands. It was great. This year, the setting is Germanic and will take you on a little journey to early nineteenth-century Bavaria and the surrounding regions at Yuletide to explore the roots of modern Christmas with song, laughter and children. Come on, it isn't far! It's in Oakland across from the Oakland Museum. Spend the day at Children's Fairyland, dine at the Lake Chalet across from the Scottish Rite Center and see the California Revels at night fall.

1700s: The Bracebrice Dinner
A Yosemite tradition since 1927, the Bracebridge Dinner transforms the cathedral-style dining room at the historic Ahwanee Hotel into a Renaissance English manoir where a yuletide story is about to unfold. If you go, don't miss the caroling by the piano in the huge lounges with walk-in fireplaces. Yes, walk-in. Kids can grab a hot chocolate at the bar and adults can roam around with drinks, all while singing in unison. Truly a great experience, if you can afford it. I guess the San Francisco Opera singers, the outstanding decor, the remote location and the starred menu explain the price tag.

Beyond 1700s, you won't find anything in Northern California. At least I don't know of a medieval Christmas, a Miwok winter celebration or a Roman solstice feast. But if you know other fun events, feel free to share in the comments.

Peter Pan the Musical at The Berkeley Playhouse

Another reason to cross the bridge? A boy who can fly. An abusive pirate captain. A fearless Indian girl. A lost island in Neverland. A jealous and impertinent fairy. Soaring high above Victorian London. Sounds familiar?

Last weekend, Berkeley Playhouse opened their summer performance of Peter Pan The Musical to a full house. We saw it with our 4 and 6 year olds and loved it.

Performing arts are usually all-kids or all-grown-ups affairs and this rare combination of both children (as young as 7) and adults works wonders. For some in the audience, the high point came when the pirate crew performed a manly tango with gusto. For others, the moment of bliss came when Peter Pan recovered his shadow played by a dancer in black and the pair waltzed away with Wendy in the nursery. Or it could be when actors climb in and out of coconut trees to engage in fights.

Whatever your favorite part in Peter Pan, you've gotta love a musical that includes aerial acrobatics, sword fights, live music behind the stage, creative sets, skilled actors/singers/dancers and a heart-warming Nana dog-nurse.

When we got inside the theater, we were relieved to see there were pillows on the floor at stage level for children to sit on because it was so crowded that we had to sit up in the pews (where the views weren't bad, mind you, since it's a small theater). After an introduction by director Elizabeth McKoy, the orchestra played the themes and the show began.

At first, we couldn't see the full set as dark blue curtains cradling the nursery were hiding the island coconut trees, pirate ship and Lost Boys hideout. Forgetting all about Disney's green Peter Pan, we grew to appreciate Brandy Collazo's impersonation of the egocentric likable brave boy who wants to never grow up. Ms. Collazo is already a veteran of Broadway-type performances in the Bay Area and she carries the character well into songs and bravado.

As we leave the nursery with aerials of various forms, the stage opens up on Neverland. By then, we'd already enjoyed solo and duo dance acts but we were about to discover the full extent of Tom Segal's skills as the show's dance choreographer. The pirate dances are simply to die for - completely offbeat, highly energetic and humorous.

In the pirate crew, actually, Captain Hook (Gabriel Grilli) and Smee (Michael Laplante) form of the funniest male duos I've seen in a long time, followed closely by the two pirates who rock back and forth a giant blue wave in the grand battle finale with a mischievous look in their eyes.

The other character who really stands out, when you compare with Disney's version, is Tiger Lily played by Rebecca Pingree, a former Janet Weiss in The Rocky Horror Show (tells you how charming and lioness she can be). Never before had I realized how strong a female character Tiger Lily was - and a leader too. The rivalry that sets her against Wendy to gain Peter Pan's undivided attention is one of strong elements of tension in the musical, where Tinkerbell definitely takes the back seat (no, no scantily-clad blond bimbo playing Tink).

Of course, when Tink sacrifices her life by drinking the poisoned medicine, the audience joins in that fantastic clapping act to show that we all believe in fairies and that Tink shouldn't die. When I saw Peter Pan the musical at the Orpheum with Cathy Rigby in 2006, that same wondrous clapping moment brought tears to my eyes too. Seldom as an adult can you actually take pride in believing in fairies!

After Indians and Lost Boys finally join forces and set aside their past resentment, that's when the pirates strike and the final battle does not disappoint.

My 4-year-old told me with pride after the show that the crocodile had nodded to her during that battle, waiting to get to Hook. What a sweet child-loving crocodile...

Now for practical details, because you wouldn't want to miss that show, would you? Peter Pan the Musical will be performed every single weekend through August 23 and features both evening (7 pm) and matinee shows. Note that the show lasts 2h30, but both my girls' attention didn't falter throughout. So go ahead, get your tickets here. Don't go whining in September that you missed it in July. It's not like you haven't had advance notice.

Plus, by attending this performance, you are encouraging the Berkeley Playhouse, a great place that operates both as an arts conservatory and a professional theater. These guys really deserve a good audience for all the hard work done and the quality of the show. So as I said earlier, yet another reason to cross the bridge ... or stay on your side if you already knew everything about sun-zoning.

Snow White And the Seven Dwarfs with the Children's Theatre Association of San Francisco

Last Saturday we took our girls to see the Children Theatre Association of San Francisco's production of Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs with a musical twist. Based on the story by the Brothers Grimm, Carol Weiss - a Los Angeles performer - wrote a book, composed the music and then the lyrics to a one-hour musical play for children.

In her version, the Evil Queen has a Witch Wicked sister who's about to lose all her powers and asks the queen to provide Snow White's heart-shaped locket. Sir Pompous (on the photo sitting next to Snow White) is the sorry court chamberlain who's ordered to axe Snow White during a court picnic in the woods. Thanks to a wise-cracking mirror who keeps speaking in rhymes and only answers to questions in rhymes, the Evil Queen's plot is unmasked and Snow White is rescued fro a very deep sleep.

All the elements of the story are there plus a few. Now, what really surprised me (not in a bad way) was the age of the actors. I'm not saying all, but a good number were certainly grand-mothers and I'm not used to children's shows with grand-mothers on stage (again, not all of them). But boy do they rock!

You should see the ladies on stage, giddily dancing and jumping in coveralls with hard-helmets and lights on their heads as the seven dwarves. It just cracked me up. I wish my own grand-mother had done that for me. I would have attended every single show!

That said, my girls did not even notice that the Prince Charming was played by a woman and we all throroughly enjoyed the show. The sets and costumes were executed with an attention to detail (I especially enjoyed the dwarfs' log cabin in true West Coast style) and some lines were very funny. Kudos to Sir Pompous and Sir Silly, they were hilarious.

The man behind the keyboard mastered the tunes as well as special scary or sound effects which added another dimension to the play. No wonder, he's Bill Keck, the musical director of Beach Blanket Babylon.

My only comment would be on the sound system as it was sometimes hard to hear distinctly what the actors on stage said and it felt like some had microphones and others not. Therefore uneven volume. But what the heck.

It's an all-volunteer troupe and the ticket only costs $12. It's a lot of fun.

I need to finish with a praise to the CTASF as all paid performances fund performances for school children. Yes, the ticket you buy is a ticket you donate to help a school child attend the same performance on a different day. That, my friends, is a very worthy cause.

The Elixir of Love and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Last Saturday, I had tickets for two different productions for families, one in San Francisco and one in San Carlos.

To me, the uncontested "crowd-pleaser" of the day was obvious. The Elixir of Love as an opera for families at the War Memorial Opera House HAD to be better than The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by the San Carlos Children's Theatre at the Heather Elementary School of San Carlos. Hands down. Big budget versus hit-or-miss-school production.

Lo and behold, boy was I wrong. Forget the Elixir of Love! It's definitely not Gaetano Donizetti's best opera and my children found it boring (me too). My 5-year-old's big question during Act II? "Mom, is that real food on stage?"

My 3-year-old was fidgety at best, downright irritating the rest of the time. The sets were stupendous but the music did not grab our heart as I hoped it would.

It might have been better had we sat closer to the front (we were second row of the Dress Tier), granted. However the action wouldn't have been much faster.

How about offering Don Giovanni as an opera for families? Grand arias, great music, scary bad guy, saucy gals, lavish settings, ghost and devils. I'm sure it would work wonders.

But The Elixir of Love? Triple sigh.

However The Legend of Sleepy Hollow? Now, that's the sort of performance I'd like to see more of: well written, fun, understated, well executed. We loved it.

I actually won two free tickets to the performance thanks to the website Theatre Bay Area last month. So glad I did. Written by Vera Morris, a playwright for Pioneer Drama Service, a Colorado-based plays and musicals publisher, this version of the legend of the Headless Horseman was both funny and witty.

As warned by the ushers at the door, the opening scene was scary. As the curtain opens up on the haunted graveyard of Sleepy Hollow, three specters with gleaming red eyes come on stage and seem to be on the lookout for something, moving in slow eerie steps. Set to dark and moody music, it was a chilling sight and it was no wonder some of the kids ducked into their parents' lap.

But once that scene was over and the three ghosts of the graveyard were introduced, the rest of the play was relatively light-hearted.

As the legend goes, Ichabod Crane is the new school master of Sleepy Hollow and competes with a cheeky fellow named "Brom Bones" for the heart of Katrina Van Tassel. One night after a party at the Van Tassels, Ichabod Crane is hunted down in the night by the headless horseman, a soldier who lost his head and is still looking for it.

In this production, Ichabod Crane was played by Miss Sarah Richards, a lean blond girl whose rendition of Ichabod Crane as a scaredy cat obsessed by food was enchanting.

Mr. Nadir Jang played a solid and mischievous Brom Bones and Ariana Mitha a facetious and confident Katrina Van Tassel. My personal favorite was Mr. Colston Rienhoff, a little boy doning a fluffy grey beard who played Farmer Stuyvesant. He was irresistible.

The story had all the right elements to please: super-natural powers in motion, love and mischief, humor and wit. To all who enjoy a good story, the last performances of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow are November 21st, 22nd and 23rd.

I'll be back for the San Carlos Children's Theater performances. It's only 20 minutes from my house!