Sand Mountain.

THE STORIES: The first component play, SAND MOUNTAIN MATCHMAKING, deals with an attractive young widow, Rebecca, who is wooed by a succession of thoroughly objectionable suitors: the first a conceited stud who is sure that she is physically attracted to him; the second a coarse old farmer who is looking for a compliant slave and who has already buried two wives; and the third a Bible-spouting bore whose last wife deserted him. In desperation Rebecca seeks the counsel of Lottie, a wise old hill woman, who tells her that all is not lost; she can find the right man by posing a simple (if suggestive) question to those who come to court her. This Rebecca does, and her reward, happily enough, is Sam Bean-a strapping young widower with a mind of his own who gives Rebecca as good as he gets and is more than a match for her and the memory of her late husband. (4 men, 2 women, 1 boy.) In the second portion of the program, WHY THE LORD COME TO SAND MOUNTAIN, The Lord and Saint Peter eschew the hospitality of a wealthy lowland farmer and, instead, pay an unexpected call on an impoverished mountain couple, who live in blissful ignorance with their fourteen illegitimate children. While The Lord and Saint Peter may not approve of the family's primitive lifestyle, they are warmed by their lively company (and their jug of brandy) and begin to swap the sort of tall tales with which hill people seek to outdo each other, culminating in a hilarious retelling of the story of Joseph and Mary which puts The Lord in such an expansive mood that he is moved to bestow a miracle on his awe-struck hosts-with delightfully humorous results. (4 men, 2 women, 1 boy.) While designed to be produced together as a single bill, the plays may be presented separately with equal effectiveness.Romulus Linney is the author of 'Sand Mountain.' with ISBN 9780822209850 and ISBN 0822209853.