During a hot summer week, the traveling tent Chautauqua arrives for its annual visit to peaceful, prosperous Radford Center, Iowa in 1921. The show brings a breath of culture and excitement of the larger world to the town. This time, Chautauqua brings a spark that sets off scandal, immorality, and murder that changes, reduces and resolves many people's lives, in dramatic fashion. The town will never be the same insular and secret place when the tents are folded and Chautauque leaves to journey to another small peaceful midwest town .