About Hyzenthlay Studios
A note from our founder…
I Love the theater
I Love every aspect of it.
I love being the first one in, breathing the chill, musty smell of possibility that exists before every performance.
I love being the last one out, watching the stagehands place the ghost light to illuminate the way for the Others.
I love watching the audience lean in and connect emotionally with intriguing characters brilliantly portrayed.
I love the collaboration. The collective whole creates art larger than any one person.
I love writing for this magical place.
And then—it all went dark.
After years of research, drafting, and development, we had made it to the final stage before production. Two weeks into planning with a top-tier director and producers for our new Broadway musical based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, COVID dropped the curtain on Broadway. Our stage was abandoned, our voices muted–but potential uncharted opportunities lit a flame in me and I was determined to find a new platform for Sleepy Hollow.
The pandemic darkness that blanketed the world was demoralizing and oppressive, but once my eyes adjusted, I saw the silver lining: the darkness that curtailed the good also curtailed the bad. Due to necessity, the once sacred, non-negotiable ‘rules’ were now showing cracks—the “whys” were momentarily silenced, allowing the “why nots” to be considered.
Why can’t a Broadway musical be told in a different way?
Why can’t the beautiful artwork and emotionally driven music of anime further develop the emotional connection of a musical-based story?
Why can’t we intertwine intrinsic elements from genre’s we love and create something completely new?
While exploring paths that crossed significant creative hurdles, I applied and was accepted into the “Women In Animation'' mentorship program. Here I met others who were equally driven to dream courageously. The spirit of collaboration bridged geographical and language barriers alike. Hyzenthlay studios was born, and with it, Sleepy Hollow: A Gakume Series.
