New Radio Adaptation Of IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE to Stream For Free in October

International City Theatre has signed on to join regional theaters across the U.S. in support of Berkeley Repertory Theatre's upcoming stream of a new radio play, It Can't Happen Here, adapted by Tony Taccone and Bennett S. Cohen from the novel by Sinclair Lewis.

The presentation, which stars Academy Award-nominated actor David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck), will be available for free on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET at www.InternationalCityTheatre.org. A live Q&A session with the creative team will follow the broadcast.

Written in 1935 during the rise of fascism in Europe, 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.

According to Berkeley Rep, the intent of the reading is to encourage dialogue and motivate citizens to exercise their civic power and vote in the upcoming election.

International City Theatre is throwing its support behind the broadcast for the same reason. "I feel I need to do whatever I can to make people think before they vote," states ICT producing director caryn desai [sic].

In 2016, Berkeley Rep premiered a stage adaptation, also by Taccone and Bennett, of Lewis' darkly satirical and prescient novel. One week after that production ended, the presidential election roiled our nation. The stream on Oct. 13 reprises that production with the same director. (Obie Award winner Lisa Peterson), but this time as a radio play in four episodes.

The cast, many of whom appeared in the original stage production, includes Elijah Alexander, Danforth Comins, Scott Coopwood, William Thomas Hodgson, Anna Ishida, David Kelly, Sharon Lockwood, Eddie Lopez, Alex Lydon, Tom Neli, Greta Oglesby, Charles Shaw Robinson, Gerardo Rodriguez, Carolina Sanchez, Mark Kenneth Smaltz and David Strathairn. Citizens, campaigners, soldiers, workers, radio voices, prisoners, and many others are all played by members of the company with sound designer Paul James Prendergast.

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