After its critically-acclaimed Off-Broadway run, Luna Stage’s World Premiere comes home!
MRS. STERN WANDERS THE PRUSSIAN STATE LIBRARY
by Jenny Lyn Bader
Directed by Ari Laura Kreith
Starring Ella Dershowitz, Brett Temple and Drew Hirshfield
October 3 - November 2, 2025
Thursdays at 7:30pm*, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 3pm
*Special matinee Thursday, October 9 at 1pm
Berlin, 1933. With martial law in effect, political activism has become a capital crime. A young Gestapo officer arrests a graduate student suspected of illegal research. This interrogation promises to be most challenging as he faces the iconic 20th-century thinker Hannah Arendt. Is she innocent? Or an enemy of the state? Inspired by real events, this fantastical drama delves into the life and mind of one of history's most profound thinkers.
Starring Ella Dershowitz, Brett Temple and Drew Hirshfield
What people are saying…
"A lesson on perceiving humanity and even dignity in all people under even the toughest of conditions."
— The New York Times
"An evocative exploration of resilience, identity, and the pursuit of freedom!"
— Times Square Chronicles
"Jenny Lyn Bader is a terrific writer, and boy, she knows what to do every step of the way...this is well worth seeing."
— Broadway Radio
"One of the best dramas of the year!"
— This Week in New York
"A remarkable achievement!"
— Blog Critics
"A gem!"
— TheaterScene.net
"90 minutes of thought-provoking, tense drama!"
— Making the Scene
"An intimate, riveting revelation of insight and courage expressed in unexpected ways."
— NJ Arts Maven
"A timely play that needs to be seen today!"
— Broadway ShowBiz
"Fascinating and historically accurate…surprising yet ultimately impactful…Mrs. Stern and its compelling cast make us want to go back into our history books to learn more."
— Theater Pizzazz
"Thoughtful and thought-provoking!...I came away wanting to know more, and with the desire to engage someone very far on the other side of the ideological fence. The right time is now."
— Q Onstage
"A fascinating intellectual play about philosophy and finding common ground…The acting was superb…This is a real stage turner and is not to be missed!"
— Hi Drama
"A stimulating and suspenseful 90-minute play!"
— TheaterScene.org
"Brilliantly directed by Luna’s Artistic Director Ari Laura Kreith!"
— Jewish Journal
"Intellect and emotion travel in parallel in a subtle build that takes everyone by surprise."
— Front Row Center
"The production opens up the tragedy and triumph of Jewish history."
— New York Sun
"Gripping... A play for our times!"
— Jersey Arts
"An intellectually stimulating and profoundly moving historical drama."
— Offoff Online