The Highest Heaven was directed by Magdeylnn Miller and premiered virtually on April 30, 2021. The Highest Heaven is a play for young audiences by Jose Cruz Gonzalez about Mexican repatriation during the Great Depression. “It is a cautionary tale of greed, passion and cruelty and, at the same time, a magical enchantment that sends the senses soaring along with the monarch butterflies that are the focus of the story...Even at its most dazzling, the magic in The Highest Heaven has meaning.” (Arizona Republic Review by Kyle Lawson)
As Puppet Master for this production, I created an installation of monarch butterflies resting in the trees on their migratory path. The butterflies were made with black card stock and acrylic paint, adhered to willow branches collected in Palmer Park, Detroit. Additionally, I made butterfly rod puppets, made with tracing paper, acrylic paint, cardstock, wood dowels, and metal music wire.
Trailer for The Highest Heaven filmed by Blue Puffin Media and edited by Magdeylnn Miller. Song is "Que Me Devuelvan la Tierra" by La Muchacha. You can also watch the full length film.
Actors Sofia Deler and Mary Handsome practicing puppet manipulation and choreography; directed by Magdeylnn Miller.
