What happens when radical ideas about freedom and responsibility collide with the messy, contradictory realities of human desire? Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir built a philosophy that electrified a generation. But their own lives were complicated by a web of intellectual and romantic entanglements that often stood in stark contrast to their public principles. This comedy is based on the true story of the most challenging of those relationships: their involvement with two brilliant and vulnerable young students, the sisters Olga and Wanda Kosakiewicz. Opening this August in Theater for the New City's 2025 Dream Up Festival for a limited run of seven performances in New York City before the show moves to Paris.
Cast and Creative team for Sartre and Simone: A Comedy of Redemptive Love at Theater for the New City
Cast
Michael Shapiro
Sartre
Michael recently starred as the Unconscious and Wilhelm Reich in New Lux's "Crazy About You." He will reprise the role of the infamous psychiatrist later this year in "Wilhelm Reich Unleashed."
Molly Loveless
Simone
Molly is an experienced Shakespearean actress who recently starred as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing. She is also a big fan of Simone de Beauvoir and French culture.
Massil Adnani
Camus
Like Albert Camus, Massil is originally from Algeria, and he visits the country often.
Ella Jacobson
Wanda
Ella is an accomplished actress and recently starred in "A Sketch of New York" at the Producers Club. She is studying acting at Fordham College.
Josh Shellman
Hemingway
Josh is an avid sailor and horseback rider, and his leisure pursuits perfectly prepare him for the role of the great American writer. He also plays the Doctor and Inspector in the show.
Sam Keran
Jack
Sam recently starred in the New Lux's 2024 production of "Crazy About You."
Robin Brenner
Martha
Robin is a popular performer in the New York theater scene, as well as an experienced standup comedienne.
Emma Lyndell
Olga
Emma is a Method actor who says that Simone de Beauvoir's "The Second Sex" changed her life.
Olivia Rain
Maria
Olivia is an experienced New York film actress who brings a startlingly fresh perspective to the role of Camus' girlfriend.
Cam Reid
Café Waitress
Cam has appeared in several recent Godard-inspired films.
Bryan Murray
Café Waiter
Bryan has been called "the Marlon Brando of comedy."
Creative Team
William Cane
Playwright, Director
William Cane is the pen name of award-winning playwright Michael Christian. He has directed more than a hundred stage shows.
James Bastone
Executive Producer
James is a modern David Merrick, having produced two early New Lux successes in New York.
Eleanor Fisk
Stage Manager
Eleanor is an experienced film director who brings a modern and classical sensibility to this historical stage comedy.
Tingyu Hu
Wardrobe Designer
Tingyu is an experienced fashion designer who is active in the New York fashion scene. She created the costumes for two previous New Lux shows in 2024.
Jim DeLois
Lighting Designer
Jim is a lighting engineer who brings years of experience to his work. He also lit New Lux's "Crazy About You" in 2024.
Nicki Cochrane
French Culture Consultant
Nicki is the most avid theatergoer in New York history, regularly attending 500 shows a year. She has an unparalleled reputation as a New York theater insider, and she also rubbed shoulders with Sartre and Simone’s jet set friends in 1940s Paris.
Noah Rasmussen
PA
Noah is an accomplished film director who brings decades of experience to the production.
SUBMIT UPDATES
Theater for the New City Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Theater for the New City is at 155 1st Ave @ 10th St, New York, NY.
Always Young The Musical (1/15/26-2/1/26)
The Diary (1/10/26-1/25/26)
The Popes of Farragut Street (11/6/25-11/23/25)
Not Our Home, Not Our Home (9/25/25-9/28/25)
In Search of "True Love" (9/2/25-9/14/25)
Breaking the Trust (9/2/25-9/17/25)
To Feed the Roses (9/2/25-9/13/25)
Kind Stranger…a memory play (8/24/25-9/3/25)
Camera Ready (7/3/25-7/6/25)
THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY is a unique Cultural Institution that has earned a nationwide reputation for its dedication to nurturing established and emerging playwrights who experiment with new forms and to presenting other experimental and developmental theaters with a very active program of Community Art Services and Festivals which continue to expand theater accessibility.
Sartre and Simone: A Comedy of Redemptive Love (1/29/26-2/8/26)
LIBERTO (2/12/26-3/1/26)
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