The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk
Dates : October 7, 2026 — November 1, 2026
Duration : 1 hour 30 minutes
Oct 7 – Nov 1, 2026
The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk
By Daniel Jamieson
With music by Ian Ross and
Sarah O’Halloran
Directed by Hayley Finn
DC Premiere
Before the paintings, poems, and fame, Bella and Marc Chagall were two young dreamers whose love transformed the world around them. Through music, movement, and theatrical magic, their journey unfolds from a small Jewish town into a vivid landscape of imagination, devotion, and resilience. Tender, whimsical, and visually enchanting, THE FLYING LOVERS OF VITEBSK is a love story that reminds us how art and love can lift us beyond the gravity of everyday life.
Hailed as “gorgeous” by The New York Times and “a heart-lifting, heart-piercing delight” by The Stage, Ian Ross’ music brings Daniel Jamieson’s passionate words to life for the first time in DC.
About the Production
Run Time: 1 hour and 30min, no intermission
Content Disclosure: This production uses gunfire sound effects
Marc Chagall
Bella Chagall
Aerialist
Stunt/Aerial Captain
Aerialist
Muisician
Musician
Music Director
*Appearing through an Agreement between this theater, Theater J, and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
Director: Hayley Finn^
Set Design: Misha Kachman+
Costume Design: Frank Labovitz
Lighting Design: Colin K. Bills+
Sound Design: Sarah O’Halloran+
Projections Designer: Camilla Tassi
Associate Projections Designer: Andrés Poch
Props Design: Aofie Creighton
Assistant Director: Grace Carter
Music Director: Katrina Michaels*
Intimacy Coordinator: Megan Behm
Choreographer/ Aerial Consultant: Gwynne Flanagan*
Yiddish Consultant: Miriam Issacs
Russian Consultant: Adrienne Nelson
Casting: Manna-Symone Middlebrooks
Rehearsal Stage Manager: Stephen Bubniak
Performance Stage Manager: Miranda Korieth
Assistant Stage Manager: Julia Witesman
*Appearing through an Agreement between this theater, Theater J, and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
+Member of United Scenic Artists Local 829
^Member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers
Lois & Michael Fingerhut
Ann Gilbert
Michael R. Klein & Joan Fabry
Jeff Menick
Linda Rosenzweig & Sandy Bieber
Abigail Roth & R. Lee Stump
Evelyn Sandground & Bill Perkins
Scott & Evelyn Schreiber
Robin Thomashauer & David Florin
Creative Connections and Special Performances
Join us for powerful pre and post-show conversations with expert guests to deep dive the themes of The Flying Lovers
Creative Connections events are free.
We will be offering closed captioning for selected performances.
Closed captions powered by CCTheater™ from AccessTech, LLC (www.cctheater.com)
Theater J offers Pay-What-You-Choose performances for the first two previews of each show. You can buy tickets online or in person. For this show our PWYC performances are on the following dates:
Wednesday, October 7 at 7:30 PM
Thursday, October 8 at 7:30 PM.
NOTE: After you select your tickets, click the “Selected Tickets” button in the lower right corner. Change the Ticket Type from “Regular” to PWYC to select your price.
Join Hayley Finn for a conversation with Gwynne Flanagan, the aerial choreographer for The Flying Lovers, to talk about how evocative, physical movement can transform storytelling on stage.
Join us for a preshow conversation with Jewish Religion and Literature scholar, Dr. Judith Baskin facilitated by Hester Kamin. The two will discuss the life and artistic contributions of Bella Chagall. An artist in her own right, Bella’s work is often overshadowed by that of her husband. Where do we see Bella’s creative contributions in Jewish history and culture?
Hester Kamin’s pre-show conversations are a Theater J favorite! Join us to discuss the themes of our plays and how they relate to our own experiences and the issues of our times. Pre-show conversations are a great way to meet other theater fans and thinkers and to be ready to engage with the play more deeply
Join members of the cast for a discussion about what it was like to work on the show.
Join local director and expert yoga instructor, Elena Velasco for a 30-minute stretch inspired by Marc Chagall’s paintings. We’ll have a few mats on-site. Participants are encouraged to BYOM( Bring Your Own Mat)!
Marc Chagall’s paintings and artistic life have inspired generations. What is the cultural and historic legacy of Chagall. Join artist and scholar, Dr. Rachel Pollack to discuss Marc Chagall’s impact across time.
What historical events and social movements shaped the lives of Bella and Marc Chagall? What did it mean for Marc to be appointed Commissioner of Fine Arts in Russia in 1918? How did his artistic fragments and colorful images reframe our understanding of Eastern European Jewish life? Join Dr. Lauren Strauss for a conversation about the play’s historic and cultural contexts.
We will offer captions on the following performances:
Tuesday October 13 at 7:30 PM
Sunday October 18 at 2 PM
Sunday October 25 at 2 PM
Sunday November 1 at 2 PM
To access captions, you can reserve a tablet before the show by calling the box office or pick up a tablet the day of the show. For more information you can email or call the box office.
Schedule
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