Saturday, September 19th, 2009
Will It Play in Peoria?
Will It Play in Peoria?
The famous question "Will it play in Peoria?" originated during Peoria’s exciting vaudeville days during the 1920s. After a new live act or stage show was produced, it was soon booked into a Peoria theater to test audience reaction to the show. If the show did not receive a strong positive approval, one of two things could happen: the production was rewritten, recast, or otherwise improved, or it was canceled. Because Peoria was viewed as the "typical" American town, if a show could achieve the approval of the Peoria audience, it would be successful anywhere in the country.
The phrase came back into circulation when a Nixon administration political advisor used it while talking about campaigning in the Midwest. Peoria was still seen as a model of the norm in the country, and the President could use the citizens of Peoria to gauge his approval.
In the past 50 years, Peoria has garnered the "All-American City" award three times. As national test marketers have found, Peoria is a microcosm of America herself. To "Play in Peoria" is not only an old term from vaudeville, but a catch phrase used today to measure the thoughts and habits of the typical American.
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