Fill the blank in the quote: Will it ____ in Peoria?
Will it play in Peoria? Peoria, occasioning utterances such as "We shall be playing in Peoria" and "We shall play at Peoria" (p. 218, etc.). Appropriated as symbolic of reception by mainstream America, these declarations were alluded to in paraphrase, eventually resulting in the question, "Will it play in Peoria?", with the particular intent it now carries. Peoria, Illinois has developed an unusual reputation over the decades, such that a kind of folklore has grown around the name. The famous catch-phrase about "playing in Peoria" has origins in vaudeville or burlesque. Don Marine, professor of theatre at Illinois Central College (East Peoria), commented: If one
Will it play in Peoria? were to choose the city in the United States most victimized in jokes and anecdotes by theatrical personalities, the selection of Peoria, Illinois, would be a popular, if not likely choice. Two of the more popular quips are: "Say, I hear you got married. How did that ever happen?" "I was playing a split-bill in Peoria—and it rained!" and "Have you ever played Peoria?" "Peoria? Oh, yes—I spent four years there one night!" The widespread appeal of this verbal maligning by comics, actors and other performers suggests Peoria as a paramount example of the dull, banal, and provincial theatrical road