The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Script

This is a sample script for the Halloween puppet show activity The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The original work can be found on the Gutenberg project here.

Overview[]

Scene One: Introduce the main character. Talk about ghost stories.
Scene Two: Introduce the other characters. Focus on the rivalry between Crane and Bones over Van Tassel. Underline how popular bones is.
Scene Three: The Invitation and the party. Crane borrows a horse and rides to the party. Full of hope. Fails to get kiss. The chase of the headless horseman.
Scene Four: The wedding between Bones and Van Tassel. Reveal 'the joke.'

Act One[]

Purpose: establish character of Ichibod

narrator: This is a Halloween story.
Pumpkin is put up.
narrator: It is called "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".
Sign of play name is shown
narrator: Act one: "Meet Ichibod".
Ichibod enters the house and puts down his books that he is carrying
narrator: "This is Ichibod."
Sign of characters name is shown
narrator: "Everyone, say 'hello' to Ichibod."
Students should say hello
Ichibod: "Hello everyone. My name is Ichibod. Nice to meet you."
Students should say 'nice to meet you too'.
Ichibod: "I am a teacher and I like reading books. These are my books"
Ichibod points to books.
- narrator: "A farmer arrives."
Farmer: "Hello Ichibod."
Ichibod: "Hello Mr Farmer!"
Farmer: "How are you today?"
Ichibod: "I am happy, how are you?"
Farmer: "I am very cold!" *brrr*
Farmer shivers.
Farmer: "So, are you a teacher?"
Ichibod: "Yes I am. I like teaching and reading books."
Farmer: "What subject do you teach?"
Ichibod: "I teach many subjects. I teach Math and Art and History and Science!"
Farmer: "Wow, that is a lot of subjects. And you like reading?"
Ichibod: "Yes, I like reading. I like Ghost stories the best. But I don't like getting scared."
Farmer: "Ghost stories?"
***FX*** - ghost
Ichibod: "Yes, Ghost stories."
***FX*** - ghost
Farmer: "What are Ghost stories?"
***FX*** - ghost
Ichibod: "Ghost stories are stories that are about scary things. Things like Vampires and Bats (***FX*** - bat)... Ghosts and Black Cats (***FX*** - angry cat)...Frankenstein's monser and... (***FX*** - ghost) Pumpkins..."
Show each item as it is said
Farmer: "Pumpkins?..."
Ichibod: "Yes... pumpkins. The scariest story is about a man on a horse who rides around in the forest at night. He has no head. Just a pumpkin."
Farmer: "That sounds scary..." *Shivers*
narrator: "End of act one."

Act Two[]

Purpose: establish love for Katrina and rivalry between Bones and Ichibod.

narrator: "Act Two: Love and War."
Ichibod walks into the scene feeling happy.
narrator: "This is Ichibod again. He is happy"
Sign of characters name is shown
narrator: "Ichibod is happy."
Ichibod: "I feel happy."
narrator: "The farmer walks in."
Farmer: "Hello Ichibod."
Ichibod: "Hello Mr Farmer! My good friend."
Farmer walks by and out of the scene.
narrator: "A pretty, young lady arrives."
Katrina slowly walks into the scene.
Ichibod: *woah* "What a pretty lady." *breathless*
Hearts rise from Ichibod.
narrator: "Ichibod is in love."
Ichibod: "Miss! Miss! Hello! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ichibod."
Katrina: "Hello Mr Ichibod. My name is Miss Katrina."
Sign of the name Katrina comes onto scene.
Ichibod: "It is nice to meet you Miss Katrina."
Katrina: "It is nice to meet you too. How are you?"
Ichibod: "I am... great! And how are you?"
Katrina: "I am... fine. Thank you."
Ichibod: "Excuse me, where do you live? Do you live in Sleepy Hollow?"
Katrina: "Yes I do. I live in the house on the top of the hill."
Ichibod: "Wow! Such a nice house. I would like to see it one day."
Katrina: "Well, my father is having a party next Thursday. Here is an invitation."
Ichibod: "Wow! Thank you very much! I will come!"
Katrina: "Good. I will see you then Mr Ichibod."
narrator: "Katrina walks away. Ichibod is alone."
A small heart rises from Ichibod
Ichibod: "Finally, I have met my true love! Oh, I will see her again next Thursday!"
A large heart rises from Ichibod. At that time, Bones enters from the other side and sees the big heart floating away.
narrator: "A large man arrives."
Bones: "Hey! You there, what is that?! What is that?!"
Ichibod: "That is not your business! Who are you? What is your name?"
Bones smircks to himself
Bones: *hmp* "The name is Abraham Van Brunt, but you can call me... Bones."
Sign of the name Bones comes onto screen.
Bones: "And what is your name?"
narrator: "Ichibod is angry."
Angry cloud appears above Ichibod.
Ichibod: "My name is Ichibod Crane. You can call me Master Crane."
narrator: "Bones is angry."
Angry cloud appears above Bones. They approach each other. Bones is bigger. Angry cloud of Ichibod becomes scared cloud.
narrator: "Ichibod is scared and runs away.
Ichibod squeals and runs.
Bones is laughing to himself. Katrina walks on stage from the other side that Ichibod ran to. Bones is halfway through a chuckle when he realises it is Katrina... a heart rises from him.
narrator: "Bones is in love too."
Bones: "Oh, Miss Katrina, how do you do?!"
Katrina: "I am fine thank you. And you?"
Bones: "I am excellent, now."
Katrina: "My father is having a party next Thursday. Here is an invitation."
Bones: "Oh, thank you! I will be there next Thursday."
Katrina: "Ok Abraham, I will see you then. Good bye."
Bones: "Goodbye!"
A large heart rises from bones.
narrator: "End of act two."

Act Three[]

Purpose: Ichibod sees Bones with Katrina. Shows Bones unhappy with Ichibod making moves on Katrina and shows the headless horseman chasing Ichibod.

narrator: "Act Three: The Horse and the Pumpkin."
narrator: "It is Thursday. The party is tonight."
Ichibod runs into the scene - the farmhouse.
narrator: "Its Ichibod again. He is looking for the Farmer."
Ichibod: "Mr. Farmer, Mr. Farmer! Where are you? Where are you?!"
narrator: "The farmer appears"
Farmer: Oh, Hello Ichibod. What is the matter?"
Ichibod: "I am going to a party. I need a horse. Can I use your horse?"
Farmer: "Oh, Sure. You can use my horse. I will give you my best horse."
Farmer whistles.
Farmer: "Honey! Here Honey!"
***FX*** - horse hooves... slow.
narrator: "Honey the horse arrives. She is a very small horse."
Farmer: "Here you are. Her name is Honey!"
Ichibod: "Um.... Thank you... Bye!"
narrator: "Ichibod rides towards the party."
***FX*** - horse hooves... slow.
narrator: "Ichibod arrives at the party."
Shoe people at the party (random man and father).
narrator: "People are dancing."
Show the man dancing
narrator: "This is Katrina's father."
Ichibod: "Mr Van Tassel! Hello. How are you. Thank you for inviting me to your party."
Mr. Van Tassel: "Who are you?" *angry*
Ichibod: "I am Mr Ichibod sir. I am a friend of your daughter." *unsure*
Mr. Van Tassel: "OK then... She is over there... She is dancing."
Show Katrina Dancing.
Mr. Van Tassel: "She is dancing with Mr. Bones..."
Katrina and Bones are seen dancing. Ichibod has a swearing bubble appear over his head.
narrator: "Ichibod is not happy"
Bones: "I am thirsty. I need a drink. Do you want a drink?"
Katrina: "No. I am not thirsty."
narrator: "Bones goes for a drink... Ichibod moves towards Katrina."
Ichibod: "Hello. How are you?"
Katrina: "Hello Ichibod! I am fine."
Ichibod: "Shall we dance?"
Katrina: "OK!"
narrator: "They dance."
narrator: "Bones returns with a drink. He sees them dancing and is not very happy."
a swearing bubble appears over his head. He walks away, very angry.
narrator: "Bones walks away, very angry. They people continue to dance."
narrator: "The moon goes up"
narrator: "The party finishes."
Dancing man goes home. So does random man. Says goodbye.
Random man: "Good night everyone!"
narrator: "Ichibod says goodnight to Katrina."
Ichibod: "Good night Katrina."
Katrina: "Good night Ichibod."
Ichibod: "See you tomorrow!"
Katrina: "Good bye!"
narrator: "Bones is seen in the background. He is laughing."
narrator: "Ichibod rides through forest, by himself."
***FX*** - horse hooves... slow.
Ichibod: "This is scary. I hope there are no bats."
A bat appears and makes a noise. Ichibod screams.
Ichibod: "I hate bats..."
***FX*** - horse hooves... slow continues, plus a second sound.
Horseman appears behind tree. Ichibod screams again.
narrator: "Then, a horseman appears from behind a tree. He has no head. Only a Pumpkin."
Ichibod: "Aaaahhhh!"
narrator: "The headless horseman chases Ichibod."
***FX*** - horse hooves... fast (both).
A chase ensues. After a while, it looks like Ichibod gets away.
***FX*** - horse hooves... slow (one goes away).
narrator: "It looks like Ichibod is OK."
Ichibod: "Maybe I am OK..."
narrator: "BUT THEN!"
But then, suddenly the horseman appears large as life and throws his head at Ichibod.
Ichibod falls over. A big scream is heard.
narrator: "The pumpkin hits Ichibod"
Ichibod: "Aaaahhhh!........"
narrator: "Ichibod falls down. The horseman laughs"
Horseman: "Ha ha ha!" (much like bones)
narrator: "And rides away"
***FX*** - horse hooves... slow.
narrator: "End of act three."

Act Four[]

narrator: "Final Act: The Wedding."
narrator: "Honey, the horse came back to the farmer."
***FX*** - horse hooves (slow)
Show Honey returning to the farmer.
farmer: "Honey, where is Ichibod?"
narrator: "Ichibod was not seen again."
narrator: "Katrina was looking for Ichibod."
Show Katrina looking for Ichibod at his house. and other places.
Katrina: "Ichibod, are you here? Ichibod? Where are you?"
narrator: "Maybe he was scared..."
Show question mark.
narrator: "Maybe he is dead..."
show skulls.
narrator: "Nobody knows."
Show another question mark.
narrator: "Katrina married Mr. Bones."
Katrina goes to church. She kisses Mr. Bones.
Hearts rise from the two.
The father grunts.
A man dances.
narrator: "When Mr. Bones hears about Ichibod, he laughs, and says:"
Bones: "That Mr. Ichibod! ha ha ha."
narrator: "Bones likes pumpkins..."
Bones: "ha. ha. ha."
Put final pumpkin on the board.
narrator: "The end..."