Peyton Place at City Lit Theater

Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended

"...By the second act, which feels as if it has two or three possible endings too many, the actors seem to be running in place with the material. Still, there are some fine zesty performances sprinkled throughout the cheesy subject matter, including Mark Pracht's surly-but-straight-arrow Tom Makris, the school principal who woos Allison's mother, Christina Renee Jones in the dual roles of nerdy high schooler Kathy and bad girl Betty, and Jeremy Myers as Norman Page, the mama's boy who, I'm convinced, provided the first-name inspiration for a certain Mr. Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho.""

Time Out Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...Considering how important the fictional New Hampshire locale is to the narrative, Jacob Watson's set is jarringly ill-defined: The wooden boxes that represent the ramshackle house of Selena Cross (a moving Sara Renee Gilbert) also comprise Allison's mother's store; Allison's bedroom is also the outdoor make-out spot Rock's End. Edwards's sound design is similarly incongruous, scoring romantic scenes with music that suggests a Hitchcock thriller. Peyton Place is a town full of dramatic potential, but City Lit's staging doesn't know which direction to take to get there."

ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended

"...The story is told realistically depicting the repressed culture of the time. On today's standard, Peyton Place is quite tame but this worthy production aptly shows where we were in the 1950′s. The story still can ring true in rural America today. This is an outstanding ensemble piece that features several fine performances. Catherine Gillespie, Dave Skvaria and Judy Lea Steele stand out while Jeremy Myers, Mark Precht (as Tom) and Sara Renee Gilbert added notable performances. Peyton Place no longer is the sensational ground-breaking work but it is still a fine glimpse into the culture of the 1950′s. The City Lit Theatre production, in the hands of adapter and director Paul Edwards give a refreshing new life to Peyton Place. This is an excellent show, don't miss it!"