Lancaster actor Jordon Ross Weinhold, who will bring a one-person adaptation of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” to Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion in Germantown, may be the only person who ever wound up with a first name because of a typo on a birth certificate.

Jordon was to be named Jordan (like basketball legend Michael Jordan) by his parents, but a typo on his birth certificate changed it to Jordon. “I think my parents saw that misspelling and liked it, so they never changed it,” Jordon told the Local last week.

The actor whose birth certificate could have used a proofreader will help to celebrate Halloween with the theatrical adaption of Washington Irving’s 1820 short story, at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 23 and 24, and at 3 p.m., Oct. 25. The story, a chilling example of American gothic fiction set in the New York countryside, will likely evoke horror, folklore and the supernatural in the production to be presented at “the spooky house in Germantown,” at 200 W. Tulpehocken St.

In the story, Ichabod Crane, a schoolteacher traveling on a lonely road, encounters a mysterious rider who appears to be headless. Terrified, Crane races toward a nearby bridge, believing that crossing it will save him, since legend claims the ghost cannot pass it. Just as Crane nears safety, the rider throws what seems to be his severed head at the schoolteacher, knocking him to the ground. The next day, Crane is nowhere to be found. His horse returns home without him. And then the plot thickens.

Weinhold always wanted to be an actor and performer growing up in Lancaster, but unlike so many other hopefuls, he did not pursue the luring lights of Broadway. “The best decision I ever made was not to follow the trend of moving to New York and going Actors Equity,” he said. “You’re always told to do that when you’re starting out. I did not do that. I have been lucky and successful not moving to New York and joining a union, and I wouldn’t have had these fun, exciting opportunities I’ve been lucky to get if I did. I wouldn’t be performing at Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion if I did go that other route.”

After high school, Weinhold, now 35, studied musical theater at Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts in Pittsburgh. He has performed all over the country, although the Germantown performances will mark his Philadelphia debut. He has performed at companies such as Fulton Theatre, Ephrata Performing Arts Center, Maine State Music Theatre, Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre, Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre and the Pittsburgh Playhouse.

His roles, among others, include Antonio Salieri in “Amadeus,” Dick Swiveller in “The Old Curiosity Shop,” Herbert Pocket in “Great Expectations,” Rev. John Hale in “The Crucible,” understudy for Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady,” Friar Lawrence in “Romeo and Juliet” and most recently, the Cowardly Lion in “The Wizard Of Oz.”

“The role of Salieri in ‘Amadeus’ challenged me the most as an actor,” he said, “and I worked very hard on that role. I had to dig deep and approach things differently to understand and perform that character. I was very pleased with my performance, and it remains my favorite role.”

According to Rich Mehrenberg, writing in the publication BroadwayWorld, “Weinhold has a reputation (and a gift) for manic characters … How did he do [in ‘Amadeus’ at the Ephrata Performing Arts Center]? With a performance that is complex, compelling and sympathetic, Weinhold proves why he is among the biggest talents on the Central Pennsylvanian stage. His ability to metamorphose from the young Salieri to the elderly one was amazing. A seasoned pro.”

Weinhold said, “The other part of my career has been music. I orchestrate and arrange music for many actors and theater companies around the world. I love being able to tell a story through the instrumental colors of music.”

What is the best advice Jordon has ever received? “Ask questions. I think many of us are too scared, and rightfully so, but ask all the questions. You have to know what you’re doing and saying. The best way to do that is never be afraid of asking questions to your director because at the end of the day, it’s you giving that performance to an audience.”

Do people misspell Jordon’s first name often? “All the time,” he said. “They are always mortified when they do. I’m so used to it.”

For more information, visit ebenezermaxwellmansion.org. Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com.