Six short plays, 10 to 20 minutes long, may be presented singly or in any combination. All six make a full evening's—or afternoon's—or morning's entertainment. The Blue Ridge Mountain folk tales were collected and dramatized by Dr. Rex Stephenson at Ferrum College, Virginia, touring the plays with a company of his students—usually 5 men and 5 women. From 1975 to the time this book was published in 1991, the Jack Tale Players performed the stories 1,325 times to more than half a million people of all ages in 34 states and in England. "We have played to audiences as large as three thousand people and as small as twelve," Stephenson said.

Jack, the teen-age protagonist of most of the tales, is the universal underdog who outwits "upper-dogs" like robbers, giants, witches, devils, and big brothers. The tales are Jack Fear-No-Man (Jack wins a $10,000 reward from the King of Virginia for conquering three giants); Jack and the Witch's Tale (Jack defeats a witch with kindness); Foolish Jack (Jack is outwitted by some sharp traders); Jack and the Robbers (Jack and some runaway animals scare the meanness out of a band of thieves); Jack and Ol' Greasy Beard (Jack outsmarts his older brothers and catches a thief and rescues a girl in distress); Wicked John and the Devil (the meanest man on earth bedevils the devil). These Jack Tales can be played by all women, all men, or any combination. "I've never had anyone worry about whether Jack was a boy or a girl," Stephenson said. "I always use girls to play the little devils in Wicked John." Girls have played kings and devils; boys have played old women and mothers.

Although the Ferrum College troupe introduces each performance with mountain music and traditional ballads like "Barbara Allen" and "In the Pines," played on mostly home-made instruments (washboard, washtub bass, wood block, spoons, a jug, and a cowbell), no music is required. An audio tape of Jack Tales Players music is available from the publisher to be used with performances if the producer wishes. Our video tape shows the Jack Tale Players in three of the stories. It also shows their musical warm-up with mountain music and jokes. The plays are unparalleled for touring because they require no scenery or difficult costumes and few if any props, and they can be presented anywhere. They have been featured at regional and national meetings of The Children's Theatre Association.

"I haven't seen our students react more favorably to any presentation since I have been at the Martinsville High School and that covers a decade."—D. R. Hensley, Assistant Principal. "Every so often in our day-to-day patients' activities program, we are rewarded with an outstanding entertainment event that stands above all others."—Benjamin McConnell, Recreation Specialist, Veterans Administration Hosptial. "Clapping, screaming and rolling with laughter, students in Grade K-4 and teachers at Park Avenue Elementary School listened to the Jack Tale Players."—Danville Register. "Rex Stephenson is a genius at taking history and making it interesting."—Anna Wentworth, Dramatic Critic, WVTF-FM.

Also by Stephenson: A Christmas Carol, The Liberated Cinderella, Three Old Women's Bet, Treasure Island

See also: Skits & Playlets, Elementary/Jr. High and Fairytales, Folktales, and Fables