Ever wonder what goes on in the mind of a playwright?
Our Author Insights series offers a rare chance to hear directly from the writers themselves—exploring the history, personal experiences, and big questions that shape their plays.
We’re excited to share a new article by Mona Z. Smith and Traci Mariano, the authors of Fire in a Dark House. In this powerful essay, they trace the real events and family histories behind the play, examining how anti-immigrant hysteria during World War I turned German Americans into suspects—and why those patterns still matter today.
This free downloadable PDF includes the full article plus three classroom-ready activities designed to help students reflect on identity, belonging, and the dangers of fear-driven rhetoric.
👉 Download the resource by clicking the button above and bring this essential conversation into your classroom.
When Americans Became Suspect: The World of Fire in a Dark House
Mona Z. Smith, Traci Mariano
Fire in a Dark House is about two families and a community thrown into turmoil when anti-immigrant fervor sweeps the nation during World War I. In the play, a young German-American woman falls for the son of a newspaper publisher – a politically powerful man who is waging a dangerous propaganda campaign against local German-American families, including her own.
This play is set in 1918, when German Americans were the single largest immigrant group in the United States. They had migrated here from many different countries, and they practiced many different faiths, including Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Mennonite, Hutterite, and Amish. Some were sophisticated city-dwellers, some were farmers, and some helped to build small towns all across this nation. Some came in search of religious or political freedom; others looked for economic opportunities; and still others simply wanted the chance to start life afresh in the New World. Some had been in this country since colonial times; some were the first generation born here; some were immigrants fresh off a boat from Europe.
All of them were Americans. All of them spoke German or had German-sounding names. And all of these “German-Americans” became suspect once the United States declared war on Germany in 1917 and sent troops to fight in World War I. President Woodrow Wilson spoke disapprovingly of these “hyphenated Americans,” claiming their loyalty was divided. Another prominent U.S. official warned German-Americans that "every citizen must declare himself American — or traitor!” Some immigrants did struggle with their feelings, finding their love for their native homeland and their family in Germany in conflict with their loyalty to America.
Anti-German fervor swept across the nation as American soldiers went to war – a fervor that was fueled by vicious anti-German propaganda issued by the White House and members of Congress. German-American people and institutions across the country came under attack. At first, discrimination was cosmetic, though still hurtful – such as when German names of schools, streets, towns, and popular foods were changed. As anti-immigrant propaganda grew more venomous, German American businesses and homes were vandalized. Civil rights were violated. Conservative extremists urged “loyal American citizens” to hunt for German spies, saboteurs, and traitors in their communities. Fear and distrust escalated into violence, and despicable hate crimes were committed. People were attacked, and in one case, a man was lynched.
We did a great deal of research while writing Fire in a Dark House, and we found disturbing accounts of these hate crimes in German-language newspapers. We also delved into family history, since we are both German-American. Some true and tragic events inspired scenes in this play, including the experiences of Mona’s ancestors. The character of “Mary” is based on her grandmother Mary, who did have a brother named Henry and a sister named Rose. Mary told many stories about their farm and family life during World War I -- but what happened to Rose was always something of a mystery, and questions lingered in Mona's mind for many years. Fire in a Dark House imagines one possible answer to those questions.
The very first version of Fire in a Dark House was performed in New York City in 1993 during a heated controversy over immigration and a call to end birthright citizenship. A new version of Fire was performed in Los Angeles in 2018 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the WWI Armistice and centennial celebrations of milestones in the suffragette movement. That L.A. production also coincided with the first Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” anti-immigrant movement. These are just a few of many, many waves of anti-immigrant sentiment that have swept our nation throughout its history. As we write this note to you in 2025, immigrants of all ages are being rounded up, detained, and deported.
Fire continues to raise vital questions about our constitution, our freedoms, our principles, and what we want America to stand for in the global community. We have created this newest version of the play because we believe Fire’s characters and themes may resonate even more powerfully today, as we consider what it means to be an American, an immigrant, a patriot, and a young dreamer seeking a better life in this nation that promises liberty and justice for all.