About Hill Fire

"Hill Fire" is a folk life play produced semi-annually by the Montgomery County Arts Council. Experience community performance that brings to life the history and heritage of "the hills". Each performance fills you with laughter and tears, joy and sorrow, every emotion you could expect.

You are invited to come share in the sights and sounds. You will see the young and the old, the rich and the poor, races and creeds, come together to celebrate the one thing we each have in common --- LIFE ---- Life that will "set these hills on fire".







Rock of Ages - 2009 Hill Fire



It’s time once again for the Montgomery County Arts Council’s production of Hill Fire. The public reading of this season’s script, Rock of Ages, was read in August. Revisions were made to the script after the reading, the roles were cast, the music was written, and the rehearsals started the day after Labor Day.

One of the stories on which Rock of Ages is based is about an ordinary lady who lived an extraordinary life. Sarah Rebecca Weed Patterson was born to Francis Marion Weed and Bessie Bell Dockery on April 19,1896 in the Eskridge community. The house where Rebecca was born was built by her ancestor, Richard Eskridge, founder of the small community. Rebecca’s family moved several times before finally settling into the Bethlehem Community around 1901.

Rebecca was very gifted. She sang, played the piano, and directed children’s programs in church. She was given the opportunity to perform with a traveling show but her father would not allow her to go. She taught in a one-room school in the Delta near Ruleville until she was stricken with malaria and returned to Montgomery County.

Rebecca married Jesse Patterson in 1917. They lived near Kilmichael and were blessed with one son, John Franklin. John Frank attended Ole Miss where he studied to be a pharmacist. Rebecca was widowed early in life when Jesse died of a heart attack in 1948.

After her husband’s death, Rebecca remained at their homestead where she continued to manage the farm. She was very active in her church and garden clubs. She was well known for her flower gardens and received recognition on several occasions by the garden club when she was awarded Yard of the Month.

Rebecca outlived all of her siblings and her only son died of leukemia in 1995. Rebecca was a source of strength to her family after John Frank’s death, assuring them that there are worse things in life than death.

Rebecca lived by herself until she was 102. After experiencing a fall, she moved in with her daughter-in-law and remained there until her death in 2003 at the age of 107.

Show dates are October 17, 18, 22, and 24. Advance tickets will be made available at Crossroads Jewelry, Hammonds Pharmacy, Bank of Winona, Renasant Bank, Regions Bank in Winona and Duck Hill, Bank of Kilmichael, and Kilmichael Drug Store. These tickets will be $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for students and they are for General Admission seating only. General Admission seating is the bleacher seats. The chair seats are available by reservation only. You can get reservations by calling 662-310-0199. Tickets at the door will be $15.00 for adults and $8.00 for students.