Serenbe Playhouse

I was so looking forward to this and was so disappointed. A friend and I had purchased tickets to Sleepy Hollow, but our show was rained out so we exchanged for Snow Queen, which was fine with us. We had never been before and as we arrived, were rather confused by the parking. We did find the very small lot which had no room left and a person in front of us, clearly also confused, took forever to navigate through as there are some spots that seem like parking until you realize no one would be able to get through if you use them. We ended up parking on the street, which is residential. By then I was frustrated, so rather than drive back down the whole road, I just took the first spot I saw which was pitch black and required use of our phone flashlights. We laughed it off and went to the concession stand where we became excited about the prospect of a spiked hot chocolate on a cold night. $ 7 for a hot drink that was not even lukewarm and quickly became cold since there were no lids, even though it was uneven terrain. We pretended to be happy with our drinks and didn’t even admit the evening wasn’t looking good at this point until we were in the car on the way home. The play started about 15 minutes late and we were able to see the first scene. From that point on, we stared at people’s backs. Three scenes were performed and at best, we could sometimes see their heads. People around me were on tiptoes. You can see in the front, but in spite of that, a couple parents in the very front still kept their kids on their shoulders. No biggie, though, because we couldn’t see either way. I tried to follow the play by listening to the dialogue. The play didn’t seem very good, but in fairness, I’m basing this on audio with no visuals. The actors seemed dedicated and I’m not knocking them, but the script wasn’t great. One of the actors came through the crowd to be ready at the next set and when members of the audience didn’t move fast enough, he could be heard to mutter that we needed to get some common sense. In his defense, this was the highlight of the night because we laughed the rest of the night about an angry reindeer telling us to get common sense. The laughing took place in the car and at the restaurant we went to when we gave up and left after 3 – 4 scenes we couldn’t see at all about 30 minutes into the performance. Sleepy Hollow had been high on my to do list and I had planned to go next year, but I drove over an hour to not even be able to see. I won’t be back.

We attended a performance of The Sleepy Hollow Experience on Wednesday October 28^th. It was definitely an «experience» I had such high hopes as I love the theater, performing arts and the story of Sleepy Hollow.
My parents (63 and 70 years old) were visiting from out of state so I thought this could be an interesting experience for them. Little did I know that there would be A LOT of walking (to and from parking mostly) and no sitting throughout the show. We did expect some walking but not ¼−½ mile through a muddy field. The parking was a disaster– not sure why we had to park so far back and hike through a dark field to get all the way to where the performance was.
Once the performance started it was great. I really liked the actors and the way they story was told. These actors were all very talented and you can tell they had their heart and souls in it. The bad part was the standing– not for me but for my parents. There was one scene in the play where chairs were set up but only could seat around ¹⁄₃ of the audience. During intermission my parents had to find a seat to rest.
Walking back to the car was bad. My poor Dad was having a hard time– it was really muddy and slippery. Thank goodness they had a golf cart available to pick him up and drive us to our car. I really don’t know if he would have been able to make the walk back if they didn’t have that golf cart.
In conclusion my issues were not with the performance itself, rather the set up and location of the performance. They need to work on a better parking solution for when the weather is wet and ground is muddy. Also more seating should be added. Each scene should have enough seating for everyone– it would have been so much more enjoyable.
I’m not sure if we will go again. $ 25 per person is very steep for this performance.

I went to the Sleepy Hollow Experience and it was wonderful. I love that the crowd was part of the story and that the actors stayed in character and hung out with the crowd during intermission. It was very well done and the actors were talented. I’ll be back for another show!

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE REVIEW BEFORE YOU BUY!!!
The Sleepy Hollow Experience is an «experience» I’d rather forget, but for the sake of a future victim I will give details on the atrocities and shenanigans in hopes of saving your hard earned money from these «con-​artist». Like you, given the fact that most of the shows were sold out and after looking at the well done website, I had high hopes that this was going to be an exciting rendition of the story of the headless horseman. Boy, was I wrong! The story had no plot and I think the main goal of the entire event was to take your money and get you to spend more at the bar, while being chastised by the staff. This review will walk you through the night, step by step in hopes that you will agree with me, really folks, save your money! When we arrived, there were 3 of us fools, spending about $ 25.00/each, we walked up on a beautiful outdoor setting with a wonderful ambience. We were directed to a small area «across the foot bridge» where the play began about 15 minutes late so that everyone had time to get through the bar line. I am sure this was in an effort to accomplish their goal of acquiring more money from the crowd. This first part started off promising, with an introduction of the 5, yes 5 and ONLY 5, players in the entire play. Unfortunately it went down hill from here. We were then «herded» to the next area, which took quite some time given the size of the crowd. This area was called the covered bridge, and was constructed from pallets which were put together to make the walls to a very long narrow covered bridge type structure, on solid ground. The audience was placed in a tight semi-​circle at the end of this structure, where the play continued. The performance in this area only lasted about 2 – 3 minutes, leaving the audience confused. The scene at this stop consisted of a small narrative and then Icabod walking through the covered bridge, and the headless horseman making an appearance at the end of the bridge, which we did not see since we are positioned on the sides of the semi-​circle. All in all, it was very underwhelming and pointless. Again, we were herded to the next scene, which lasted about 10 minutes and took place at the «school house» which was about 100 feet away. There was seating in this area, but most of the audience had to stand due to limited seating and the size of the audience (which was way too large in my opinion for a play like this). Again, the plot of the story was lost on random songs and useless narrative. This scene was to basically set up the «Halloween Party» which was just a trip back to the bar so folks could spend more money before the play continued in this same area for another 10 minutes. Then we were MOOOOOved back to the covered bridge where we stood in another tight semi-​circle for about 2 – 3 minutes while something, I am not quite sure what, happened… then we were divided to either side on the outside of the covered bridge. We could barely see through the slats of the walls as the headless horseman made his second and last appearance through the bridge, killed Icabod off stage, and then rode back through the bridge, lasting about 5 minutes. Then the announcer surprisingly said «thanks for coming, now leave» and that concluded the play. No bows, no clapping, the cast just vanished, probably in embaressment or so the crowd would not turn on them in anger. This left the audience confused and dumbfounded. What just happened? How much did we spend on this play? How long did we actually drive to get here? Who are these people that think that it is ok to steal people’s money by performing such a stupid, useless piece of work? These are not artist, these are CON-​ARTIST. We decided out of all the plays we have attended, which include elementary school, middle school, high school, college, church, local community and Broadway plays, this is by far the WORSE one we have ever seen. Even our 12 year old agreed and she was not amused or entertained at all. This is a waste of money for all ages! Again, I can not emphasis enough, no matter how cool this play sounds or the raving reviews (which we could only deduct were given by friends or family) DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY ON THIS AWFUL EXPERIENCE!

Stayed at the Inn this weekend with my fiancé. Purchased tickets for the Sleepy Hollow show. We expected the weather to be bad, nothing could be done about that since the play is performed outside, but the play was not good. My daughter (12) could have written a better script. Why so much about him liking the girl — that is not scary nor important. Was the headless horseman jealous? Cheap jokes and poor singing. Little to no point to the rude dead people walking around in cloaks. The horseman trotted by twice. That was all. Please spend some money to put down hay or gravel or buy more lanterns to make that walk down that path safer. Someone could twist their ankle or otherwise seriously injure themselves.

Love! We saw A Streetcar Named Desire about a month ago after having dinner at the Hil at Serenbe. The play was amazingly good — very good actors, beautiful sets. The only issue is sitting outdoors, before sunset in Atlanta area in the summer — MOSQUITOs and humidity. They offer complimentary «Off!» at the entrance but as a mosquito magnet, I wasn’t too happy. Oh well, the bar serves drinks and the play is great — so we got lost in it and enjoyed, sweat and red bumps be d*ed.

So I first went to their Sleepy Hollow play in October and loved it.
They did a spooky feel really well and kept it lively with the audience. I am only 5 foot and was able to see at all times which was nice. My favorite part was the intermission since it was fun to play the games and try all the yummy snacks.
I then took my daughter to see The Snow Queen. They did branding much better with this play and had glowing cups and Wands for purchase. They did have treats to buy prior which was good.
The day I attended was the last day it was showing and raining and they did a great job not letting the weather affect their performance. The only issue was I couldn’t see the majority of it. It does move around but since I’m short I kept being blocked by others and it was crowded. Also I wish it was a bit longer. There was no intermission and it seemed really short. I also heard others complain that they wish it had a setup similar to sleepy hollow.
Overall I enjoyed the plays and will return for more.

Once again, Serenbe Playhouse has enchanted me with its unconventional production methods.
We braved wind and rain and drove an hour out to see The Snow Queen this past weekend only for the production to experience «technical difficulties». Because of the poor weather, the sound only worked about half the time and it was difficult to understand what was going on in such a big group without the audio.
HOWEVER, the performers clearly understood what was happening and did everything they could to compensate– that poor Snow Queen was shouting as hard as she could against the wind and they exaggerated their physical actions to help express the dialog. This kind of improvisation is the sign of a good performer– they didn’t just stop, shrug, and walk off the «set»… they were «the show must go on», personified.
The lack of audio did not take away from the fun settings, gorgeous costumes and the overall spirit of the play.
And as soon as the performance was done, they very apologetically thanked us for coming out to see the show– and their sincerity was no act.
What gives them this five-​star rating is, the very next day, I receive an email from Serenbe Playhouse, apologizing and offering complimentary tickets to any future production. The professional way they handled their downfall is what will draw me all the way back out to the farm in the future.

Went to the Sleepy Hollow Experience — Revival this weekend and it was a LOT of fun. I really didn’t know what to expect, but I imagined we’d be sitting watching a play. It wasn’t like that at all. It was pretty interactive and everyone moved around the barn, inside and outside. Very atmospheric and fun! The intermission even involved snacks and games at «Katrina Van Tassel’s family farm» and the actors stayed in character throughout. Highly recommended! I hope they do it again next year.

We had been talking about going to Serenby Farms — to EAT — for years and to break through the foot-​dragging, I bid on a season tickets set for Serenby Players at a school auction and won. Oh, that’s nice I thought… so, we went to Ten Mile Lake, then took nieces to Wizard of Oz, then Oklahoma! — and just got to see the Sleepy Hollow Experience last weekend, which was not part of the package… I never want to miss one of this innovative and engaging troupe’s performances again. It makes me feel that either the rest of my theater experiences are enjoyable but pedestrian (which I doubt), or that this team is doing AMAZING radically engaging interactive and thoroughly unique stagings and performances unlike any I have ever encountered. The use of the farm in each scenario was stunning and brilliant. You must go.

Awesome, AWESOME show. I am not a theatre-​goer as I get antsy and don’t want to sit around for 2 – 3 hours so Serenbe caught my attention. We went to see The Sleepy Hollow Experience during the pre-​show through Scoutmob. Serenbe is about a 45 minute drive from downtown, but trust me, it’s worth it.
When you get there, it’s dark. DARK. Everyone gathers inside and grabs a drink at the bar. The show gets started and you are immersed in a 360 theatrical experience. It was fantastic. Live horses, audience participation, and moving from room to room. I wasn’t bored for a second. During intermission there were games, a bar, and you had a chance to interact with the actors. Everyone working on the show is very warm and welcoming, always answering any questions you have after the show. It really makes for a well-​rounded experience. I will be back for Snow Queen!

My husband and I attended the Sleepy Hollow Experience produced by Serenbe Playhouse in 2013, and we’ll definitely be back in 2014! The actors were incredible. Everything is staged at the stables at Serenbe, so dress appropriately for outdoor weather and walking around a barn and grassy area. We purchased hot apple cider and were completely entertained as the actors took us from scene to scene, completely in character.

I went to the Oklahoma! production by Serenbe Playhouse last weekend and I have to say: I wish I had gone sooner!
Sure, it was a bit of a drive (34 miles from our house one way) and we got lost a bit on the way back (It was very dark after the show ended at 11:30pm).
However, the venue is MAGICAL and worth your drive!
For this particular production, they held the musical at a 1905 barn. They actually housed the orchestra inside the barn at the upper level. The cast moved in and out of the barn onto a stage right in front. Yes, you are seated outdoor under the stars and the actor in the opening scene rode a real horse from the stable at Serenbe, that’s how awesome it was!
I saw on the program that they also produced another show on the dock side of a lake at Serenbe since that play was set on a lake. I also heard the upcoming Fall show will be done at the stable at Serenbe and I am already thinking to get a group of friends to go for a fun night out.
If you intend to eat dinner in any of the Serenbe restaurants before the show, you must make reservations in advance because I could not get a seat at the time I wanted when I called last minute. They do offer beverages for sale at the performance but I saw some people bringing their own cooler too.
My husband actually claimed this was one of the best date nights we ever went on! If you are still undecided if you should drive that far to watch a play, don’t hesitate, just go.

I went today to see Wizard of Oz and it kept my almost 2yr old entertained. My only reason for not giving 5 –stars is because one parking area can get quite muddy and you can get stuck. Overall the play was great and the surrounding area open to the public was nice

I had coveted tickets for «The Sleepy Hollow Experience» at Serenbe Playhouse. I can’t speak to the venue because the show I saw took place entirely in the stables but WOW! The cast and costumes were amazing. The cast, by the way, happened to be extremely easy on the eyes. The performance required the audience move to different sets throughout the stable building and at the end of the show, the Headless Horseman galloped up and down the stable (on a real horse!). I don’t want to say too much, in case they do the production again next Halloween but if you have the chance to go– GO!