Adapted from the Henry James novel Washington Square by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, the play centers on Catherine Sloper (Chastain), a woman from a wealthy family being courted by a handsome man whom her disapproving father believes is only after her sizable inheritance.

Chastain's previous stage credits include Othello and Rodney's Wife Off-Broadway, and the title role in Salome opposite Al Pacino in Los Angeles. She was recently nominated for a Golden Globe and a Screen Actor's Guild Award for her performance in The Help, and has also received numerous honors for her work in the films The Tree of Life and Take Shelter.