Mrs. Feuerstein

Author(s): Murray Mednick
Set in the 1960s, Mrs. Feuerstein, a creative writing teacher at a private school, confronts the painful legacy of the Holocaust. Vulnerable and on the verge of a psychotic break, she becomes obsessed with the idea of revenge, and writes a play where she imagines herself in an unusual relationship with a German couple. Ideas of revenge and expiation manifest into an unusual sexual attraction, as the underdog seeks the role of tormentor and the oppressor seeks forgiveness.
Format: Drama
Cast Size:3M/3F
Character breakdown:

Adele Feuerstein
Max Wohl
Freida Wohl
Dr. Samuelson
Dr. Baum
Jane

Notes:

See Padua Playwrights.

Snapshot

Original or Prominent Production:
Mrs. Feuerstein was first presented at 2100 Square Feet Theatre, Los Angeles, on July 28, 2001.
Original Source Material: Mednick was inspired by a photograph of a glamorous German couple he came across in the book Hitler’s Willing Executioners. The photo was of Frieda Wohl eating finger sandwiches and sipping champagne while watching her husband Max, a member of an SS execution squad stationed in Poland, butcher 50 Jewish men in a town square.
Nationality of Author: U.S.
Original Language: English
Experience(s) Chronicled: Nazi War Crimes and Judgement

Browse the Plays

Play Index

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

HTC Insights

Views, reference and research of interest.

A Personal Welcome to the Holocaust Theater Catalog

A Message from Arnold Mittelman After a career in not-for-profit and commercial theater spanning more than 40 years I was honored in 2007 to found the National Jewish Theater / Foundation and in 2010 to assume leadership of its Holocaust Theater International...

Lifetime Achievement Award

The National Jewish Theater Foundation presented its 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award to Alfred Uhry. The presentation took place as part of the Lincoln Center Library event on January 27th 2025 in commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz

Lifetime Achievement Award

On September 30, 2024, French playwright, Mr. Jean Claude Grumberg received the Lifetime Achievement Award. It was presented by NJTF HTII President, Arnold Mittelman with Dominique Trimbur, PhD-Manager for the History of Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust, Teaching of the Holocaust of Fondation Pour La Memoir de la Shoah Project.