FlyRail Studios
New work, built like R&D
Artistic creation through a research lens: the AR opera Joan of the City, the touring music-theatre experience Looking At You, and multidisciplinary work in our projection-mapped dome.
Introducing FlyRail · Arts & Creative Technology Lab
Where artists build the future of live art.
New multidisciplinary works exploring the intersection of art and tech, from immersive dome experiences to augmented reality. Plus hands-on STEAM training, from the team behind Opera on Tap.
The FlyRail DomeNext stop: Purchase College's Taproot Festival · April 2027
From the team behind Opera on Tap. FlyRail is our new home for arts and technology. Opera on Tap keeps doing what it does best, in bars and public spaces across its chapter network.
Opera on Tap is staying →
FlyRail Studios · Returns January 2027
Looking At You
An immersive techno-noir music-theatre experience about surveillance, romance and a singing AI assistant.
"An absorbing, frightening whole."Heidi Waleson, The Wall Street Journal
Music by Kamala Sankaram · Book and lyrics by Rob Handel · Directed by Kristin Marting. A FlyRail Studios Production in Association with Experiments in Opera · Hosted by HERE as part of HERE HOSTS, and presented at Purchase College by The Performing Arts Center.
- HERE NYC · Jan 2027
- Purchase College
FlyRail Studios · Taproot Festival 2027
FlyRail Dome Experience
Step inside FlyRail's portable projection dome for a day of immersive fulldome works at Purchase College's inaugural Taproot Festival.
Saturday, April 3, 2027 · Timed entries 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM
PepsiCo Theatre, Purchase College, Purchase, NY
- La Cápsula: Cuentos ColectivosDaniel Shambo / Proyecto Aurora · an interactive fulldome experience
- El MacroscopioDaniel Shambo / Proyecto Aurora · an interactive fulldome experience
- GammaTimeNina Sobell with engineer Ed Bear · a real-time participatory brainwave performance
Make a day of it: LOOKING AT YOU plays The Performing Arts Center at 3 PM the same afternoon.
One lab, four tracks
What FlyRail does
Our mission is to bridge human creativity and technological advancement, fostering individual transformation and showing the public value of the arts.
FlyRail STEAM
Learn by building the show
K-12 Opera Maker Labs, university workshops inside the dome, the Space Opera Maker Camp, and the Creative Solutions Architect (CSA) Recognition Path.
FlyRail Junctions
Partnerships across sectors
Strategic partnerships that connect artists, schools, universities and technology companies around shared projects.
FlyRail Operators
Artists test the tools
Artist-led technology evaluation and studio-as-a-service, drawn from what we learn in Studios and STEAM.
On the calendar
Coming up
January 2027 · New production
Looking At You
Opens at HERE NYC in January, then travels to Purchase College.
April 3, 2027
FlyRail Dome Experience
Fulldome works by Daniel Shambo, and Nina Sobell and Ed Bear's GammaTime, at Purchase College's inaugural Taproot Festival.
Summer 2027 – Fall 2028
Joan of the City
A site-specific mixed reality opera, co-commissioned with BAM, San Diego Opera and Opera Omaha.
Summer 2027
Space Opera Maker Camp
With Space Kids Global. Ages 9–15 write, build and premiere a space opera inside the dome.
FlyRail STEAM · Workforce
The Creative Solutions Architect Recognition Path
A credential that trains students for technical careers in live entertainment, from a $43k–$58k entry wage to $100k+ senior roles.
Interested in becoming an employer or university partner? We'd love to talk.
- Two tracksTechnical Architect and Technical Producer
- Watch · Build · VerifyEvery lesson pairs a Creative Director agent that sets the brief with a Technical Assistant trained on the software
- Employer partners · now formingWe're building an alliance of live entertainment and technology employers to shape the curriculum and open doors for graduates
- University partners · now formingWe're inviting universities and faculty to help develop, host and recognize the path
Our founding brand, still growing
Opera on Tap
Opera in unusual, welcoming venues, from neighborhood bars to public parks. Opera on Tap's chapters, bar shows, OperaCades and the Speak Up! Festival continue alongside FlyRail.
208 bar show concerts in FY2025
Berlin · Munich · Hamburg
New: Bowling Green · Anchorage
Relaunching: New Orleans · Atlanta
Our team
The people behind FlyRail
FlyRail and Opera on Tap share one team, one board and one nonprofit, FlyRail, Inc.
Executive Committee
Annie HiattCo-Founder, President & CEORead bio →
David GordonBoard Chair · Music educator, Manhattan School of Music, and freelance performerRead bio →
Donna EpsteinBoard Secretary · Tax lawyer, Loeb, Block & Partners, LLP (retired)Read bio →
Lucia RivieccioBoard Treasurer · Interim Executive Director, ElderHouseRead bio →
Transition Committee
- John Tomik
- Linda Jeo Zerba
Board of Directors
- Tanya JonesAward-winning producer and founder, Mama Bear Media Group LLC
- Ramona PonceTheatre educator and freelance costume designer, LaGuardia Performing Arts Center
HR & Equity Committee
- David Gordon · Ramona Ponce · Donna Epstein · Lucia Rivieccio
Advisory Council
- Dr. Naomi André
- Du'Bois A'Keen
- David Cote
- Rebekah Diaz
- Dr. James Duval
- Aaron Dworkin
- Karen Fierst
- Eve Gigliotti
- Christine Goerke
- Emily Grad
- Anna Hall
- Celeste Headlee
- Adam Herskowitz
- Sylvia McNair
- Todd Perlmutter
- Kyle Pfortmiller
- Laura Pfortmiller
- Rachel Powers
- Paul Provencio
- Kamala Sankaram
- Prof. George Shirley
- Mithuna Sivaraman
- Alexa Smith
- Jorge Sosa
- Salima Ira Swain
- Russell Thomas
- Dr. Indre Viskontas
Partners and supporters
- BAM
- San Diego Opera
- Opera Omaha
- HERE
- Purchase College
- Space Kids Global
- OPERA America
- Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
- Miranda Family Philanthropies
- SeaChange Capital