Set in mid-20th-century France, the play examines the personal lives of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir as their public philosophies of freedom and responsibility collide with private romantic and intellectual entanglements. The story centers on their real-life involvement with two young students, sisters Olga and Wanda Kosakiewicz, whose relationships with the famed thinkers expose tensions between existential ideals and lived behavior.

The production is directed by William Cane, whose work focuses on historically grounded character studies. 

Presented by The New Lux Theater, the production returns to Theater for the New City following a sold-out 2025 run. The creative team includes French culture consultant Nicki Cochrane and existentialism consultant Charles Martin, grounding the work in both historical context and philosophical accuracy.