It Happened Here

In 1935, Sinclair Lewis challenged readers to imagine an America hijacked by a totalitarian president whose message was fueled by fear, division, and "patriotism." Richard Dresser's It Happened Here delivers a modern vision of just such an America. Set against a sobering and all-too-believable backdrop in which the 2020 elections are canceled and the president usurps his office for the next sixteen years, this is the story of one family divided by politics and ideology. It Happened Here presents a tapestry of personal stories illustrating how the Weeks family navigates the slow death of democracy in the country they all love. Told through the interwoven voices of eight different members, this oral family history is emotionally moving, breathtakingly envisioned, and surprisingly funny. Above all, it is a story of undying hope, even in the direst of circumstances.