The Magic Kite is a world premiere movie incorporating music and puppets. It is an inspirational story of how a family leans on love and hope during a difficult time. Although the family in this story is dealing specifically with deportation, the idea of separation in families is a universal struggle that affects all types of families. Stories such as The Magic Kite remind us of strength found in memories, hope and our own ability to believe.
The Magic Kite Movie was adapted from a Charlotte Children’s Theatre production of Rosalia’s original story. The play, which ran in 2016, featured original music by MUSICIAN which is also part of the movie. After the run of the play was finished, Rosalia wanted to continue to share the story and developed a “suitcase theatre” to tell the story with paper and stick puppets. She wanted children to see how they could create their own stories using simple materials and their imaginations. After showing the suitcase stories in many venues, including the Smithsonian American History Museum in Washington DC, Rosalia decided to make a movie performing the story with her suitcase and puppets.
The Papalote Project is a multidisciplinary arts initiative launched in the Charlotte area in 2012. The program, originated by local artist and advocate Rosalia Torres-Weiner, encourages children who are affected by deportation to express their feelings through the creation of colorful kites personalized with messages. The Papalote Project has included a workshop facilitated at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church and an exhibit at the Levine Museum of the New South. As a tribute to a deported relative, the kites incorporate a remnant of clothing that they left behind. The concept of the art installation is to simulate the kites in flight conveying that by attaching their emotions to the kites, they are released, and the children can begin to heal within a caring community.
