Diaspora, an immersive Jewish theatrical culinary experience created by Adam Kantor and Charly Jaffe, opened November 22, and photos from the star-studded opening are available now.

Running at Midnight Theatricals in Chelsea, Diaspora is a four-chapter/four-course theatrical/culinary experience tracing the migration stories of four Jewish families from Ethiopia, Iran, Ukraine, and Mexico to New York City. Running through Deceber 20, the entire run is currently sold out, with a robust waitlist in place for those still seeking a seat at the table.

Diaspora features the food and stories of chefs Beejhy Barhany, Fany Gerson, Dima, and Yuliia Lytvynenko, as well as Stephanie June and her mother Yvonne. The evening invites audiences to sit and taste the global tapestry of Jewish experience, where recipes carry memory, and flavor becomes language. Each story reveals a different way of making home, honoring heritage, and redefining belonging.

At opening night, attendees included Tony Shalhoub, Debra Messing, Richard Kind, Jake Cohen, Nicky Kelvin, Andy Klaric, Chloe Hechter, Emily Bear, Tova Sterling, Jared Goldsmith, Erik Bottcher, Michael Valentino, Jenny Gersten, and StoryCourse founders Pasek and Kantor. 

Check out the photos below!

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Photos: Opening Night of Diaspora Off-Broadway

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StoryCourse is a culinary entertainment collective redefining what can happen when the walls between the kitchen and the dining room are broken down. Started by a collective of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award-winning artists, chefs, and producers, StoryCourse has pioneered a new genre of experiential storytelling that nourishes both body and soul. The evening unfolds in chapters, with each short play or vignette culminating in a dish that transforms story into taste. Past productions include Under Pressure at Williamstown Theatre Festival, PrideTable, and How Do You Hug a Tiger?, as well as the viral Saturday Night Seder. 

Diaspora is directed and co-written by Kantor, and hosted and co-written by Charly Jaffe. Associate direction is by Leanne J Antonio, with movement direction by S. Asher Gelman, and a storytelling ensemble featuring Leah Siegel, Shiro Kihagi, Todd Pettiford, Noah Wolfe, Nova Rivera, Michie Aranguren, Stephanie June, Courtney Corso-Casiano, Monette McKay, Teal Holliday, Jackie Diaz Zarate, and Sammy Pignalosa. 

The creative team includes Tony winning lighting designer Jeff Croiter, sound designer Avi Amon, and scenic tent designers Ella Matza and Vinita Gatne, with creative consult from Andrea Lauer, interior and table design by Devin Sparkles, production management by Ruth Gershberg and Sheldon Skoboloff, graphic design by Julian Alicea, music direction by Leah Siegel, art installation by Michael Crawbuck and Mickey Santana, documentary direction by Eyal Resh, casting by Stephanie Klapper, head chef Lottie Gurvis, culinary production by David Dreifus, and theatrical production by Andy Hartman, Riley Glick, Michael Crawbuck, Jen Snow, and Danielle Perelman. The work is produced in partnership with Midnight Theatricals, Borrowed Spotlight Productions, and UJA-Federation of New York.

For more information, visit StoryCourseNYC.com.