Etty at off the WALL productions

Susan Stein is the author of Etty, an adaptation of Etty Hillesum's diaries and letters. Susan picked up the diaries in 1994 for fifty cents at a yard sale after her friend, Joan, recommended it. After reading the diaries, Susan wanted to give something back to Etty. She wanted to make a play of Etty's words and bring her to people who might not read the diaries themselves.​

She began distilling the diaries and letters in 2006 meeting weekly with New York director and actor, Austin Pendleton to bring her adaptation to the stage. Etty has been performed in black box theatres, studios, libraries, schools and major theatres around the country and internationally. Some of these venues include: Yad Vashem, Israel; 59e59 Theaters, New York; Next Theatre, Illinois; Philly Fringe Festival, Pennsylvania; Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland; Smith College, Massachusetts; Boston College; Boston University; University of Ghent, Belgium; Bowery Poetry Club, New York; Fort Monmouth Army Base, New Jersey; The Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York; Anne Frank Center USA, Peekskill Performing Arts Center, New York; and the Etty Hillesum Center in Deventer, The Netherlands.