Barnstormer event is a haunting October treat by Broadway’s John Rapson.

Westport Country Playhouse will present “Ghost Stories and Legends,” an evening of classic stories of the supernatural with Broadway’s John Rapson, on Thursday, October 10, at 7 p.m. The event is part of the Barnstormer Series in the Lucille Lortel White Barn Center, next to the Playhouse.

"John Rapson knows how to tell one heck of a great ghost story,” said Mark Shanahan, Playhouse artistic director. “To hear him recount the tale of the Headless Horseman is to feel you’ve stepped back in time to Washington Irving’s version of ‘Sleepy Hollow’ itself, with the hair on the back of your neck standing on end as you experience a good bit of fun. This is a perfect Barnstormer event to usher in a wonderfully spooky, fall chill in the air at the Playhouse.”

Under candlelight in the intimate barn setting, Rapson will take the audience on a thrilling, eerie, and funny Halloween journey though some of the greatest ghost stories of all time. For one night only, Rapson presents a special version of his acclaimed solo show of Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and pairs it with other classic ghostly tales.

According to Rapson, at age seven, his mother took him to a puppet show of Washington Irving’s immortal story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”  “I was forever hooked,” he said. “I’ve dreamed of bringing his stories - not to mention the stories of his ghostly literary descendants - to the stage since the beginning of my career as an actor. So let’s gather together as if by the campfire and hear these stories as they were meant to be heard. I guarantee laughs, chills, and thrills. Just try not to lose your head….”

John Rapson appeared in Westport Country Playhouse’s “They Made It a Musical!, and Script in Hand playreadings of “The Outsider,” “Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,” and “Theatre People.” On Broadway, he was in the 2023 revival of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” as Beadle Bamford. He performed in the National Tour of “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” and is a graduate of the University of Michigan.

Running time is 90 minutes, including one 10-minute intermission. Recommended for age 10 and up. Tickets are $20; general admission; seating unreserved.  Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase by credit card or cash inside the Lucile Lortel White Barn Center before the start of the show.

The new Barnstormer series features small events in the Lucille Lortel Barn, located adjacent to the Playhouse. From music to playreadings, Barnstormer provides an opportunity for artists, many of whom are from our local community, to exercise their creative muscle in a cozy and intimate setting

When: Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 7PM

Where:

Lucille Lortel White Barn Center at Westport Country Playhouse,

25 Powers Court, Westport, Connecticut 06880

A complete schedule of Playhouse events is available at www.westportplayhouse.org. All play titles, artists, dates, and times are subject to change.

For Westport Country Playhouse information and tickets, visit www.westportplayhouse.org or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529.

For full details, visit: https://www.westportplayhouse.org/show/ghost-stories-and-legends/