I was watching Jay Leno the other night.
Don’t remember the actor, but he was asking about his first acting experience which led to some grade school play and some funny pictures.
That got me thinking of the only school play I ever enjoyed…
A school play version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
I can’t remember exactly what GRADE it was. Or whether it was around Halloween or not. And, while I’m sure I was given some minor role to act out as well, what stands out in my memory was being placed in charge of the special effects along with 2 of my friends.
Now, the Headless Horseman has a special place in my heart anyway.
We had the classic decorations in the house when I was a child. The posable skeleton cardboard cutout for the front door. A witch and cat picture to hang up. A cardboard spider. You know, the classics. I’ve seen most of them at shops here or there since. But, we had one…always my favorite, and I have not seen it around since mom got rid of it. A picture of the Headless Horseman, pumpkin held high, against the light of a full moon. I LOVED that picture.
Couldn’t look at it for fear. But I loved it.
Then, there is the superb Disney film.
So, here we were making The Headless Horseman. With me and my friends in charge of the effects.
I recall making lots of sound effects. Mostly by hand or mouth. Babbling brooks, horse galloping, wind, etc. We even made a ‘flaming pumpking’ of a basketball with crate paper that mistakenly bounced off the wall ‘off stage’ it was supposed to disappear into and out into the audience…Some lighting effects here or there, even.
The play wraps up with the narrator telling that on some nights you can still hear Ichabod, and the three of us effects folk let a cry in unison into that microphone so eerie the memory of it still makes my hair stand up.
So, here’s to the Headless Horseman. Quite possibly a main reason I turned out so wierd…
The Headless Horseman Rides Tonight
By Jack Prelutsky
The Headless Horseman rides tonight
Through stark and starless skies,
Shattering the silence with
His otherworldly cries.
He races through the darkness
On his alabaster steed,
The Headless Horseman rides tonight,
Wherever the fates would lead.
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight
Beggared in robes of black,
To bear a being from the earth,
Never to bring him back.
He’s evil, foul, and bottoming,
With laughter on his breath.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight,
The minister of death.
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight,
He rides the wind alone.
Beneath his arm he tightly tucks
His head of gleaming bone.
His voice is harsh and hollow,
It is horrible to hear.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight
To fill the earth with fear!
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.
The Headless Horseman rides tonight
Upon his fateful trip,
With silvery stiles of steely death
Held fast in boney grip.
He sweeps it swiftly forth and back
As over the earth he glides,
And none in the world is safe tonight,
For the Headless Horseman rides.
And he rides upon the wind tonight,
He rides upon the wind,
Galloping, galloping, galloping on
Out of the great oblivion,
Galloping till the night is gone.
He rides upon the wind, tonight,
He rides upon the wind.