Lydia Maguire 
From its world premiere at Luna Stage in West Orange to its Off-Broadway run at 59E59, and back again to where it all started, Jenny Lyn Bader’s Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library feels as relevant today as ever. The play explores a lesser-known episode in the life of German-born philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt, who at the time went by her first husband’s last name, Stern. It dramatizes the eight days in 1933 when she was arrested for aiding the Zionist movement by mimeographing proof of growing anti-Semitism in Germany. The ensuing 90-minute play without intermission transforms this period of time into a philosophical thriller of heady debates and tense exchanges, rather than action, leaving you with a sense of foreboding and reflection on the parallels between Hannah’s world and our own. Read on to learn more about the critically-acclaimed Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library, and more about Luna Stage at 555 Valley Road in West Orange.
A Bit About Luna Stage
Luna Stage is one of the few theaters in New Jersey to offer a “Pay What You Will” scale, making high-quality theater accessible to all. The theater also runs adult and youth classes under the same model, removing financial barriers to learning the craft. But what truly sets Luna apart from other theaters in the area, is its commitment to bringing new plays that ask questions and get people talking, forcing them to continue the dialogue and leave more socially aware than when they arrived. While New York City is nearby, having thought-provoking, challenging theater like this right here in New Jersey is a rare gift, and one we shouldn’t take for granted.
Curtains Up
Upon entering the theater, the stark, minimalistic set immediately sets the tone for the play. Hannah Stern searches for light in her cell, sometimes standing on a chair to reach her hands toward it, or positioning herself so the morning sun falls across her sleeping form. The light is warm and soft, almost like a caress from Heaven, lending her strength to endure what is to come. When Karl, her scrupulous interrogator, enters, the lighting shifts to an icier blue, signaling scrutiny and tension. The interplay of light subtly mirrors the shifting power in the room: soft warmth when she has control, cold exposure when it seems to be elsewhere. We feel more than see the change.
Germany 1933: Context + Tension
The play is set in the spring of 1933, shortly after Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor. The Reichstag Fire Decree had nullified constitutionally protected rights, including personal liberty, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and the confidentiality of communications (like mail and telephone calls). Many historians believe it was this decree that allowed the Nazi party to consolidate power, target political opponents, and suppress critical publications, a chilling backdrop for Hannah’s confined, intense interactions with Karl.
This isn’t the Holocaust narrative many might expect, after all, the Holocaust hasn’t happened yet. Her interrogator offers her coffee upon meeting her. He isn’t exactly cordial, but he still treats her as a human being. A decency we know from history is eventually devoid. But we feel the significance of that coffee. This is a moment in time in Germany that balances on the precipice, and no one (except maybe Hannah) knows yet which way it will fall.
In brilliant directing strokes from Ari Laura Kreith, Hannah positions herself behind the desk at times, as if she is the interrogator, guiding the young officer toward conclusions only she can orchestrate without his perception of what she’s doing. Karl insists she sit to assert his control, but as their conversations unfold, he finds himself questioning and thinking in the ways Hannah directs. The chemistry between them crackles that by the end, it’s clear he will make a different choice than, say, Rolf did in The Sound of Music.
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A Nuanced Performance
Brett Temple, who has played Karl since 2019, delivers a nuanced, layered performance. His German accent feels authentic, avoiding the harsh, cinematic villain tones we’re used to, allowing us to see his humanity and vulnerability. As he puzzles through the philosophical and moral challenges Hannah lays before him, we see his mind take step after step toward her reasoning, and the audience is drawn into the process.
Ella Dershowitz, who previously tackled the challenging role of the titular character Mrs. Stern off-Broadway before coming to Luna Stage, never lets her mask slip. She is the smartest person in the room, but she won’t let the men know that she knows that. She barely lets the audience see how she guides them with a deft hand and turn of phrase or an innocent question. She is a woman used to living in a man’s world, and she knows exactly how to protect herself. Her demeanor with Erich switches instantly and is your second clue that she is more than what she seems with Karl, and yet, she won’t allow either man to take control of her destiny. She has worked out the answer and how to get what she needs, and she gambles her life on it.
Photo Credit: Valerie Terranova
Drew Hirshfield personifies the naivete of the time in his stalwart commitment to the law, and his inability to accept that things are changing hits hard. The more he believes and hopes that it will get better, the more we mourn. Because, unlike his character, we have read the history books and we know what’s to come. But Drew manages to play Erich with a delicate balance of fear and hope; it’s not fluffy, and it’s not superfluous. It’s the kind of panicked optimism that’s driven by a reality he is shaking in his boots to admit.
The pacing of dialogue is like a high-stakes tennis match, each volley requiring thought and care. Even the silences are loud. The only moments of true quiet are when Hannah is alone, with the loud slam of a locking door reminding us of her confinement. Alone, she breathes, cries, rests, searches, and so do we, before the next interrogation begins.
The Pen Is Mightier than the Sword
From the first exchange, Hannah easily dismantles Karl’s belief system, pointing out that his wishes actually align with the zionists. He is confused. She is sincere. We see the first clue that she will be able to outsmart him, and it gives us our first impression of who she is. An impression we will be tempted to forget until Karl reminds us of Hannah’s own theory that your first impression is usually the right one. By the end of the play, phrases and moments from earlier take on new weight and meaning. She hasn’t changed her own thoughts, but she has subtly shifted Karl’s understanding and opened his eyes in a way that he has no choice but to act if he believes himself to be a decent human.
Her philosophical sparring underscores what Arendt would later call the “banality of evil”, her concept that great harm comes not from fanatics, but from ordinary people who stop using critical thought and moral judgment, failing to discern fact from fiction. Watching this unfold in a small theater in New Jersey in 2025, with election day only one week away, was sobering to say the least.
The Letter of The Law
Meanwhile, Hannah’s lawyer Erich represents another counterpoint. He clings to the letter of the law as if it will protect him, failing to see how the very system he is gambling his own life on is being manipulated from within, and once laws move to serve the ambitions of those in power, it will no longer be the fortress of protection he must believe it is. Hannah, ever perceptive, sees this collapse clearly; she understands that the law alone cannot safeguard justice when the structures meant to uphold it are corrupted.
For us in 2025, it’s a stark reminder: if we allow our legal frameworks to erode, if we fail to safeguard them and enforce the limits that protect society, the safety and rights we take for granted can unravel, leaving ordinary people vulnerable in ways none of us ever imagined.
Why It Matters Today
The play feels timely. Growing pressures in the United States and social debates on both sides of the aisle can blur where moral responsibility begins and ends: the enforcement of immigration policies, the spread of misinformation on social media, the regulation of schools and protests, book bans, and the algorithmic control of information.
People often carry out their roles without stopping to consider the larger impact, or simply refuse to act without considering what that larger impact might be as well. In these moments, Arendt’s warning about the “banality of evil” resonates: harm often comes not from monsters, but from ordinary people who stop questioning what they are doing or not doing. The play reminds us that thinking critically and acting with conscience aren’t partisan gestures; they’re what keep democracy humane.
A Lasting Impression
Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library is a play that lingers. Lines echo in your mind as you follow current affairs, prompting reflection and self-examination. You may catch yourself imagining how you would respond if placed in Hannah’s or Karl’s shoes, guided by her incisive moral intelligence. The play challenges us to pause, think critically, and judge morally, which is a lesson for any era.
Whether you’re a theater veteran or a curious first-timer, this production is immersive, thought-provoking, and quietly powerful. From the precise, evocative lighting to the taut, intellectually charged dialogue, it’s a masterclass in showing that survival is not only about the body but about thought, wit, and conscience. And when you leave the theater, the questions it raises stay with you, just as they should. And probably just as Luna Stage intended.
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