Many of us know the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the tale of Ichabod Crane, a Connecticut schoolmaster, who competes for the love of a young woman named Katrina Van Tassel against one Brom Bones, the town tough guy. When Bones learns of Crane’s superstitious nature, he regales Crane with the story of the Headless Horseman, the ghost of a Hessian soldier who lost his head during a battle of the American Revolution. Bones tells Ichabod of how the Horseman rides through the Sleepy Hollow, searching for a replacement for his lost head. Terrified, Crane begins to make his way back to his lodging, only he is never seen or heard from again. Brom Bones, on the other hand, marries Katrina Van Tassel. But when the story of Ichabod Crane is told, Bones tends to take on a very knowing look, as if he knew exactly just what happened to Crane.

Friday, Nov. 5 saw the performance of “The Real Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” by the Montana Repertory Theater. This story begins right where the last story leaves off, with Ichabod Crane wandering directionless in the woods. He is also sometimes headless, which suggests that the Headless Horseman was in fact real and did get a hold of Crane that fateful night. While trying to affix his head to its proper place, Crane literally stumbles into Rip Van Winkle, the famous narcoleptic from early American tales. Crane tells Van Winkle of his plight, and the two make their way to the engagement party of Katrina Van Tassel.

From there, Ichabod enters into a plan to win back Katrina, Katrina starts a plan to avoid getting married, and Rip Van Winkle, well, he just tries to stay awake. As these plans all intertwine, hilarity ensues, as do incidences of cross-dressing, mistaken identity, sword fighting, and competition dancing. Audience members of all ages found a lot of humor to respond to, from classic slapstick to more witty, tough-in-cheek banter.

The performance came as a part of the Montana Repertory Theater’s 2010 Educational Outreach tour, which brings works of theater to communities all across Montana. The event was sponsored by the Sanders County Arts Council.

Look for the Montana Rep to return to Plains when they perform “Bus Stop,” this coming Jan. 31, in an event again sponsored by the Sanders County Arts Council.