it's all about how you tell the storyThe Higher Ground Theater project uses oral histories to create a narrative about a specific issue or issues in Harlan County. Music and visual art compliment the narrative told by a group of 40 to 80 actors of all ages, from different regions of the county, and from all walks of life. The Higher Ground group has been fortunate to work with a variety of artists including professional directors, writers, choreographers, set designers, lighting designers, and stage managers.
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Life Is Like A VaporThe community comes together to mourn the loss of Sweet Betty. As her neighbors, friends, and family share stories about her adventures we learn more about who Betty was. How can such a larger than life person be gone so suddenly?
Life Is Like a Vapor focuses on the life of a strong Appalachian woman. Although Betty is eccentric she is also a kind and generous community member who believes that everyone should be treated fairly. |
NeedleworkNeedlework is the first commissioned play produced by Higher Ground. This play is part of the Letcher County Harm Reduction Project, supported by United for Substance Abuse Prevention or USAP.
After losing her beloved daughter Velda, Sweet Betty looks for a solution to the IV drug epidemic facing her community. Using her entrepreneurial spirit she opens a secret needle exchange in her backyard. Trouble appears when some of Betty's friends discover her secret and confront her. Soon the whole community is divided. |
Perfect Buckets
Perfect Buckets is the second commissioned play produced by Higher Ground for the Southern Foodways Alliance and the Cockayne Fund to be performed at the SFA conference in Oxford, Mississippi in 2019. The Blackjewel blockade was a national news story in the summer of 2019 and took place less than a mile from Higher Ground’s home theater in Cumberland, KY. Agnes comes to a potluck to support the miners and finds her macaroni and cheese recipe stolen by her ex-sister-in-law Mildred Metcalf who posts hateful memes on the internet. Agnes realizes her son, who tattooed her recipe on his thigh, had his picture posted on the internet with the full recipe in view. Soon, Agnes realizes that multiple people brought her macaroni and cheese recipe and the whole community is eating together, regardless of what they post on the internet. |
Shift ChangeShift Change used story and song to process the events of 2020. The family-friendly play explores Harlan’s African-American history, in particular the Georgetown community, and included a discussion of a Black Lives Matter rally in Harlan in June 2020 and the role of law enforcement in the community. The play also explored the community’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
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