Giuliana Carr, Karl Kenzler, And Brett Temple To Star In MRS STERN WANDERS THE PRUSSIAN STATE LIBRARY at Luna Stage

Luna Stage has announced the cast for the upcoming world premiere of Jenny Lyn Bader's Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library. The suspenseful drama set in 1933 Berlin will feature Giuliana Carr, Brett Temple, and Karl Kenzler.

Carr stars as Hannah Stern, a scholar detained by the German political police. Temple plays Karl Frick, the young officer who interrogates Hannah. Kenzler plays Erich Landau, an attorney sent to defend her. The production runs October 17-November 10 and will be directed by Luna's Artistic Director Ari Laura Kreith.

The play is inspired by real events. Mrs. Stern, better known by her maiden name Hannah Arendt, went on to become one of the most prominent political philosophers of the 20th Century.

Carr enthusiastically embraces the challenge of playing such a powerful historical figure. "I feel so grateful for this opportunity to delve into the heart and mind of such a remarkable woman at this pivotal moment in her life," says Carr. "I admire Hannah Arendt's desire for understanding and am inspired by her refusal to be a bystander during the political darkness of Germany in 1933. It's an honor to get to know her through this process."

Temple's portrayal of Karl is informed by his personal history; he is the son of a retired New Jersey police officer. "While they are very different police officers, in different times, they still follow a similar moral code and they have similar values," says Temple. "Both put themselves on the line to help other people."

Kenzler, known to TV audiences as Senator Holburn in House of Cards, is moved by the play's timeliness: "In a rapidly decaying republic, two strangers find an intimate honesty through the bars of a prison cell. It's both harrowing and hopeful. Hannah's story could very well be happening today."

All three actors have strong New Jersey ties. Carr grew up in and resides in Totowa; Temple hails from South Plainfield; and Kenzler lives in South Orange.

Bader's play is set in Germany in 1933 after Hitler has declared a state of emergency. Martial law is in effect and political activism has become a capital crime. Karl Frick, young police officer, gets promoted from the criminal police to the newly created political division. In his first week at this new job he arrests Hannah Stern, a graduate student seen copying documents in the library. Is Mrs. Stern an innocent who pressed a button on the mimeograph machine at the wrong moment? Or is she an enemy of the state?

"When I first read the play, I was chilled by the ways it resonates with current events," says director Kreith. "How do we respond to the detention of innocent people? What happens when political action becomes criminalized? What do we do when laws are no longer fixed, and can be applied retroactively to justify prosecution and persecution?"

Previews for Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library begin on October 17. Opening night is October 19 at Luna Stage in the Valley Arts District, and the production runs through November 10. Tickets are $25-$40, and are available at LunaStage.org or by calling (973) 395-5551. A limited number of premium Opening Night tickets are available for $50, which includes the post-show party with cast and creative team. Special events including pre-show LunaLit book-related events and conversations with guest experts and members of the creative team are scheduled throughout the run. The full schedule will be posted at LunaStage.org

Tickets: $25-40 at LunaStage.org or OvationTix: 866-811-4111.

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