'Sleepy Hollow' long but worth seeing

"SLEEPY HOLLOW," through Nov. 7, Weber State University, Ogden, (1-800-978-8457); running time: 2 hours 45 minutes (one intermission)

OGDEN — It's not very often that one gets to go to the theater to see a brand-new musical.

But unless you've already made your way to Weber State University to see the brand-new musical adaptation of "Sleepy Hollow," you may have missed your chance. The show, save for a handful of seats for Saturday's matinee is already sold-out.

"Sleepy Hollow" is the latest new work by the university's director of musical-theater studies, Jim Christian (book and lyrics) and writing partner Tom Edward Clark (music). The last musical Christian wrote, "Pirated!" based on Gilbert and Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance," received rave reviews from critics and was also chosen to be performed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

Weber has three adjudicators from the festival coming to see this show. Should they like it enough to send it to the regional competition, the cast will likely remount the production, sometime in January, and you may have another chance at seeing it.

And it's certainly worth checking out.

The musical is based on the original short story by Washington Irving and not the animated Disney version some in the audience were expecting. There is more history on the town and the townsfolk, and that also allows for more solos for the talented cast.

Clark's music is quite pretty — the songs have lovely harmonies with a nice haunting tone. I would have liked the orchestra to have a stronger showing. Too many sloppy notes make it difficult to decipher new music. I expected more out of a university orchestra.

Addison Welch is an outstanding Ichabod Crane. His lean, lithe frame and elegantly long fingers and arms give him the perfect physicality for Crane. But Welch also creates the perfect mix needed for the character we love to hate.

His rival for the hand of the fair Katrina, Abraham "Brom" Van Bron, is played with the booming bass voice of B.J. Whimpey, whose stocky build is a nice contrast to Welch's. Whimpey's singing voice is warm and strong, and he plants a very impressive kiss on Katrina as he heads off to fight. Angela Jeffries is another standout. Playing a widow and mother of three children, her solo in Act II is beautifully delivered, and I always enjoy Kyle Olsen's strong presence and lovely baritone on stage. Olsen plays Zander DeGroot.

Christian's staging of the infamous chase through the woods of Sleepy Hollow is quite intriguing and beautifully done — a thrilling moment.

The only obstacle to a piece with so much potential is its length. Clocking in at 2 hours, 45 minutes, it feels like a long time to be spending in the dark, heavy Sleepy Hollow.

But it's very exciting to see something new on stage, and fingers are crossed the adjudicators think so, too.

e-mail: ehansen@desnews.com