Notre Dame to Participate in Free Nationwide Radio Play Adaptation of IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE

On Tuesday, October 13 a radio production of Sinclair Lewis' novel It Can't Happen Here will broadcast at 5PM PDT/8PM EDT via YouTube.

Written in 1935 during the rise of fascism in Europe, Lewis' darkly satirical It Can't Happen Here follows the ascent of a demagogue who becomes president of the United States by promising to return the country to greatness. In 2016, Berkeley Rep debuted a new stage adaptation of the novel; FTT joined theatres around the country in producing a staged reading in the week before the 2016 election. Now, Berkeley Rep reprises that production with the same director and much of the original cast, but this time as a radio play, just in time for the 2020 presidential election. The audio drama is being offered free to organizations across the country. The intent for the project is to encourage dialogue and motivate citizens to exercise their civic power and vote.

Notre Dame Film, Television, and Theatre is honored to join theatres across the nation to help spread the word about this production. Berkeley Rep's former Artistic Director Tony Taccone along with screenwriter Bennett S. Cohen return with the original director, two-time Obie Award winner Lisa Peterson. The trio previously collaborated on It Can't Happen Here when it had its premiere at Berkeley Rep in 2016.

Oscar-nominated actor David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck) will join many of the previous cast members to bring this political drama to life.

A live Q&A session with the creative team will take place following the broadcast.

The full cast for It Can't Happen Here, in alphabetical order, includes:

• Elijah Alexander (General Edgeways/Bishop Prang/Lee Sarason)
• Danforth Comins (Philip Jessup)
• Scott Coopwood (Shad Ledue)
• William Thomas Hodgson (Dr. Fowler Greenhill)
• Anna Ishida (Mary Jessup Greenhill)
• David Kelly (Buzz Windrip)
• Sharon Lockwood (Emma Jessup/Adelaide Tarr Gimmitch)
• Eddie Lopez (David Greenhill/Mr. Dimick)
• Alex Lydon (Julian Falck)
• Tom Nelis (Buck Titus)
• Greta Oglesby (Lorinda Pike)
• Charles Shaw Robinson (Frank Tasbrough/Effingham Swan)
• Gerardo Rodriguez (Karl Pascal)
• Carolina Sanchez (Sissy Jessup)
• Mark Kenneth Smaltz (R.C. Crowley/John Pollikop)
• David Strathairn (Doremus Jessup)

Citizens, campaigners, soldiers, workers, radio voices, prisoners, and many others all played by members of the company and Sound Designer Paul James Prendergast.

Broadcast Partners as of September 22, 2020

16th Street Theater
ACT-A Contemporary Theatre
Adams State University Theatre
Alley Theatre
American Conservatory Theater
American Stage
Arden Theatre Company
Arena Stage
Bag&Baggage Productions
Bishop Arts Theatre Center
Capital Repertory Theatre
Center Theatre Group
Central Works
Childsplay
Cinnabar Theater
Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department
Contra Costa Civic Theatre
Cornell University Department of Performing and Media Arts
Custom Made Theatre Co.
Everyman Theatre
Festival Playhouse of Kalamazoo College
Foothill Theatre Arts
Goodman Theatre
Guthrie Theater
Hammer Theatre Center at San Jose State University
Howard University Department of Theatre Arts
Huntington Theatre Company
Indiana Repertory Theatre
International City Theatre
Island Shakespeare Festival
Jewel Theatre Company
Juneteenth Theatre Justice Project
Kent State University at Stark
La Jolla Playhouse
Lisbon Public Library
Main Street Theater
Marble Artstown Association
Marin Shakespeare Company
Marin Theatre Company
New Conservatory Theatre Center
The New School College of Performing Arts
Northlight Theatre
Notre Dame Film, Television, and Theatre
Oregon Contemporary Theatre
Ozark Living Newspaper Theatre Company
People's Light
Philadelphia Theatre Company
Pittsburgh Public Theater
Project Big Top
Remote Theater
Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Rogue Theater Company
Roundabout Theatre Company
Rutgers University-Newark
St. Cloud State University
Santa Clara University
Santa Cruz Actors' Theatre
Seattle Repertory Theatre
Shotgun Players
South Coast Repertory
The State Theatre
Syracuse Stage
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Trilogy Theatre Group
University of Oklahoma, Helmerich School of Drama
UC Santa Barbara, Department of Theater and Dance
USC School of Dramatic Arts
The Village Repertory Co.
Water Street Barn
We Players
Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater
Z Space

Other theatres wishing to participate can do so by filling out this form.

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