Heroes of the Fourth Turning

The play takes place in the backyard of a house in rural Wyoming, near a conservative Catholic college modeled on Wyoming Catholic College, which playwright Will Arbery's sisters attended. The gathering occurs on the night of a new president's inauguration at the college. The remote, wind-swept setting amplifies the characters' sense of ideological isolation and intensity.

The title alludes to the Strauss–Howe generational theory, which posits recurring cyclical 'turnings' in history, with the fourth being a period of crisis and upheaval. The characters, all young conservative intellectuals, debate whether their generation is entering such a moment. The concept frames their anxieties about the future of conservatism and Catholicism in America.

Yes, the play premiered in 2019 at the Vineyard Theatre in New York, produced by the Vineyard in association with Page 73. The production was directed by Danya Taymor and received critical acclaim, including being named a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was widely discussed for its unusually empathetic portrayal of young conservative intellectuals.

The characters are young conservative Catholics who grapple with factions ranging from traditionalist Catholicism to alt-right-adjacent nationalism to compassionate conservatism. Their debates frequently reference Steve Bannon, who popularized the Strauss–Howe 'fourth turning' framework. The play explores deep fractures within the American conservative movement through their interpersonal conflicts.