Ella
Kaille
By Jenny Lyn Bader
Directed by Ari Laura Kreith
With Ella Kaille, Brett Temple, Drew Hirschfield, and Daniel Adam Cantor
1933 Berlin. With martial law in effect, political activism has become a capital crime. When a young Gestapo officer arrests a philosophy graduate student, her interrogation will endanger them both.
Inspired by the real life arrest of Hannah Arendt, Jenny Lyn Bader's thrilling and timely new play illuminates the struggle for human connection and perseverance in even the darkest of times.
Hailed as "one of the best dramas of the year" (This Week in New York), Mrs. Stern returns after two sold-out Off Broadway runs and direct from its European Premiere at the Traverse Theatre as part of the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe.
Luna Stage develops and produces vibrant new plays about local and global experiences. Located in West Orange, New Jersey – a crossroads of cultures – Luna creates art that celebrates the diversity of our communities and speaks to the most urgent issues of our time. Luna produced the world premiere of Jenny Lyn Bader’s Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library (Off Broadway: 59E59 Theaters (2024) and WP Theater (2025); regionally: Luna Stage (2025) and Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse (2026); internationally: Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland (2026) and its current return to 59E59 Theaters. Luna commissioned and premiered RIFT by Gabriel Jason Dean at Luna (2024) and in its international premiere at the Traverse Theatre (2025) where it was honored with a Scotsman Fringe First Award. Other Luna world premieres include Tony Award-winner Matthew Lopez’s breakout play The Whipping Man, which became one of the most widely produced plays in the United States, and three distinct commissioned productions (site-specific, ensemble, and solo performance) of The Ground on Which We Stand, which received the 2024 Giles R. Wright Designation for Excellence in African American History. Luna received the JerseyArts People’s Choice Award for Favorite Small Theatre in New Jersey and is dedicated to eliminating barriers to participation and to nurturing the next generation of audiences and artists.
Read more at: www.lunastage.org
Richard Jordan Productions is a leading London-based multi-award-winning creative production company described by The Stage newspaper as “one of the UK’s most prolific theatre producers”. For the past 27 years, it’s been driven by a strong social agenda, committed to developing, commissioning, and producing plays and musicals by new and established writers and artists from around the world. Recipient of the Best Play Tony (and 11 other Tony nominations), Olivier, Dora, and Emmy Awards, the company has produced over 280 productions (34 New York presentations) in 29 countries, including 95 world premieres, producing and collaborating with many of the world’s leading theatres. In 2022 the company became the first international producers to present work in Ukraine since the outbreak of war with the Russian Federation in a collaboration with the country’s national arts festival which brought art and humanitarian aid into the country. At the Edinburgh Fringe, Richard Jordan Productions is the recipient of 19 Scotsman Fringe First Awards for New Writing – the highest number awarded to any independent producer in the fringe’s history - and has enjoyed a long-association with Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre. In 2013, Richard Jordan Productions became the first UK producer to have been awarded every notable Best New Play Award on and off Broadway. Richard was the first recipient of the Society of London Theatre New Producers Bursary Award and has been named seven times in The Stage Top 100 UK Arts and Entertainment Professionals. In 2011, he was selected for lifetime inclusion in A & C Black’s annual publication Who’s Who for his creative work and achievements in the UK and international arts industries. Richard is delighted to continue his relationship with Luna Stage following their award-winning production of RIFT at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, as well as his relationship with 59E59 Theaters following their Brits Off Broadway collaboration with the hit plays Shellshocked (2025) and Youth in Flames (2026). For more information about our productions email us at info@richardjordanproductions.com.
The Traverse is a champion of performance, experience and discovery. Enabling people to access and engage with theatre is our fundamental mission, and we want our work to represent, speak to and be seen by the broadest cross-section of society. Across our programme, you can encounter trailblazing creativity that offers unique opportunities to explore the world around us, connect with the lives of others and spark that vital curiosity in what it is to be human. Reflecting on our successes these past six decades, as we make our way past our milestone 60th year despite this precarious cultural sector, we see a present opportunity to redefine and broaden routes into artistic creation and expression. Our programming model holds space for community-inspired and co-created collaborative work. Alongside traditional plays and commissioning trajectories, these works with social change at its core make for a resonant, relevant, and impactful programme. We make theatre and tell stories with heart, for audiences across the UK and internationally, always aiming to reach those who may not traditionally visit the theatre or connect with live performances. As Scotland’s premier new work theatre, this commitment drives each strand of our work, ensuring that the Traverse continues for another six decades and long into the future. Our year-round programme bursts with new stories, live and digital performances that challenge, inform and entertain our audiences. We empower artists and audiences to make sense of the world today, providing a safe space to question, learn, empathise and – crucially – encounter different people and experiences. Conversation and the coming together of groups are central to a democratic society, and we support equal expression and understanding for the future of a healthy national and international community.
Read more at: www.traverse.co.uk
“A taut, gripping tale… One of the best dramas of the year” — Mark Rifkin, This Week in New York
“Thought-provoking… well-acted, precisely calibrated” — Laura Collins-Hughes, The New York Times
"A powerful and timely tour de force" — Oleg Sulkin, Voice of America
"A lesson in perceiving humanity and even dignity in all people under even the toughest of conditions.” — John McWhorter, The New York Times
“Brett Temple’s swaggering performance dazzles”— Darryl Reilly, Theaterscene
“Drew Hirshfield is heartbreaking… Ella Kaille is galvanizing… A remarkable achievement” — Jon Sobel, BlogCritics
“For 90 minutes, you may very well be on the edge of your seat”— Peter Filichia, Broadway Radio