Musical Theater And Comics Come Together In ‘Higher Ground: The Musical’ Vol. 1.
by Brendan M. Allen
New York-based songwriter and composer Peter Galperin and LA-based writer Gregg Ostrin, have announced Higher Ground: The Musical Vol. 1. The first of the upcoming 4-part graphic novel series, this Broadway-musical-turned-comic, features art and letters by Patrick Barrett with a uniquely orchestrated six-song tracklist brought to life by embedded QR codes within the pages.
In a future ravaged by global warming, the last colony of survivors in New York City face an impending superstorm. This urgent story explores the intimate relationships between members of a multi-racial and multi-generational group, as they struggle to survive in the only neighborhood in the city still standing. When mysterious strangers arrive, the colony must decide if they are a threat, or a way out.
Higher Ground: The Musical has also partnered with EarthHero.org, WeDontHaveTime.org, PalmOilDetectives.com, and SaveThePlanetGroup.com to help spread the word about human impact on the planet as well as the effects of climate change.
“I found myself getting serious about climate change in 2012, when Hurricane Sandy roared up the East Coast and slammed into New York City, then read an iceberg the size of Delaware had broken off the Antarctic peninsula, and personally experienced the effects of an extensive fire season in the western United States,” said Galperin. “The problem I kept coming up against was that the research and information available online, in books and in the news on climate change was all very science-oriented, making it hard to relate to on a personal level.
“The story that Gregg Ostrin and I ended up creating is definitely science-based, but our story is ultimately about the friendship, love and trust that connect people to one another. That was true in the past, it’s true in the present, and it will still be true in the future. Together, we’ve enlisted an incredible group of talented contributors to help us turn this unique story into an immersive reading and listening experience that grows more timely everyday.”
Higher Ground: The Musical, Vol.1 drops April 19, just in time for Earth Day 2023, and is now available for preorder at https://highergroundthemusical.com/ or at the CWS Bookstore.
