Medical mayhem! ‘It Runs In the Family’ opens on the Peacock stage

(Photo Credit: Pam Roman) First row, left to right, Ed Legue, Ashley Eller, Sherrie Keely, Ryleigh Elver. Second row: Jeremy Bonilla, Ben March, Janice Lessard, David Cady, Kai Naihe, Kay Thomas. Missing: Dylan Mason, Isabelle Studley.

By Harrison Keely

Guest Writer

Local audiences, take note: the diagnosis is laughter—and the prognosis is unstoppable.

The Peacock Performing Arts Center’s latest production, It Runs In the Family, opens next Friday, launching two weekends of rapid-fire comedy, May 8–10 and 15–17. This high-octane farce drops viewers into a hospital-turned-pressure cooker, where one small secret snowballs into a full-blown avalanche of mistaken identities, outrageous lies, and increasingly desperate cover-ups.

At the center of the chaos is Dr. David Mortimore (played by Ashley Eller of Hiawassee), whose carefully-ordered life unravels when an unexpected teenage son from a long-ago affair suddenly appears. What follows is a tangle of improvised excuses—each more absurd than the last.

Sherrie Keely of Brasstown plays Mortimore’s wife Rosemary, colliding head-on with the growing whirlwind of half-truths and misunderstandings. Around them, a dynamic ensemble brings the hospital to life, each character adding another layer of comic tension as the situation escalates.

“This play is absolutely loaded with Monty Python-level absurd humor,” says David Cady of Hayesville, who plays a hospital administrator. He’s not exaggerating. The script, written by master of farce Ray Cooney, is packed with lightning-fast dialogue, physical comedy, and escalating stakes.

Ryleigh Elver of Young Harris, who plays Matron, promises surprises: “It’s hilarious, shocking, and full of crazy characters—even I get to do some stunts.” Dylan Mason of Hiawassee, portraying the determined young son, says audiences will be hard-pressed to catch their breath: “You’ll be laughing nearly all the show.”

Director David Layfield of Murphy compares the experience to a symphony building toward a thunderous finale. “It gathers momentum with every moment,” he says. “Bringing it to a stop is like trying to halt a freight train.”

Despite its high-speed humor, Layfield emphasizes the heart behind the hilarity. “There’s so much going on in our lives right now,” he says. “A little bit of laughter will be very helpful to us all.”

The cast also includes Jeremy Bonilla (Dr. Connolly), Ben March (Dr. Bonney), Janice Lessard (Jane), Ed Legue (Sergeant), Isabelle Studley (Sister), Kay Thomas (Mother), and Kai Naihe (Bill).

With a mix of seasoned performers and fresh faces, along with the theater’s upgraded sound system enhancing every perfectly-timed punchline, It Runs In the Family promises an evening as polished as it is wildly unpredictable.

Performances take place at the Peacock – 301 Church St., Hayesville, NC, with Friday/Saturday shows at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. For detailed information call the box office at 828-389-2787 or visit thepeacocknc.org.