The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk
A wonderfu l evening at the theater.
The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, at Theater J, is a wonderful night in the theater. It has been said, “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.” This play is a love story reminding us how art and love can lift us beyond the gravity of everyday life.
It is written by Daniel Jamison, with music by Ian Ross and Sarah O’Halloran. It is superbly directed by Hayley Finn, Artistic Director, of Theater J.
Even before the lights dim in the theater, two singers walk down the steps from the back of the theater, to begin the show. They are not only in the show, but they welcome the audience to what is the 100th anniversary of the JCC. They then meld seamlessly into full participants in the show. Both Katrina Michaels, Music Director, and Jeremy Allen Crawford, who walked down the stairs, are incredible musicians and singers, and are a major part of what makes this production so special.
Then there are the immensely talented aerialists, Thomas Martin and Rachael Small, who perform though-out the show as if they are silent Bella and Marc. They also represent the art of Chagall. They are wonderful to watch.
And then there are the actors who play Marc Chagall, Jamie Smithson; and Bella Chagall, Dani Stoller. Each brings to the stage their wonderful talent for both acting and singing. Each commands the stage when they are the focus, during the show. There is never a moment in this one hour and twenty minutes, without intermission, that you aren’t completely enthralled with all of them.
There is the wonderful stage set by Scenic Designer, Misha Kachman; and the rest of the creative team are just as talented. They include, Costume Designer, Frank Labovitz; Lighting Designer, Colin K. Bills; Projection Designer, Camilla Tassi; and in her second role, Sound Designer, Sarah O’Halloran.
The life of the Chagall’s is fascinating. They first met at a friend’s house in Vitebsk in 1909, and fell in love. Marc Chagall then traveled and painted for four years, until he came home and married Bella in 1914. They wanted to move to Paris but ended up living throughout the war in Russia. Marc ended up working at the Moscow State Yiddish Theater, where he used his artistic talent. They finally left Moscow for Paris in 1923. They lived there until Marc was arrested by the Nazis in Marseilles. With the help of American journalist Varian Fry, and American diplomat Hiram Bingham, he was freed and the family then escaped and moved to the United States. Marc kept painting, and Bella organized her memoirs, which were published in Yiddish with Marc’s artwork, after her death at the age of 54 in 1944.
Again, this is a very beautiful love story, about two people living through two world wars. Do not miss The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, or you will miss a wonderful night in the theater. You can Buy tickets easily online.