The Voice of the Turtle (play)

This article is about the 1943 stage play. For the 1947 film, see The Voice of the Turtle (film).

The Voice of the Turtle
Written byJohn William Van Druten
CharactersSally Middleton
Bill Page
Olive Lashbrooke
Date premieredDecember 8, 1943
Place premieredMorosco Theatre
New York City
Original languageEnglish
GenreComedy
Romance
SettingNew York City,
a weekend in early April

The Voice of the Turtle is a Broadway comedy by John William Van Druten dealing with the challenges of the single life in New York City during World War II. Controversial in its time, The Voice of the Turtle explores the sexual struggles of Sally Middleton, a young woman attempting to reconcile her childhood teachings on the importance of chastity with her newfound affection for Bill Page.[1] The play derives its name from a verse in the Song of Solomon in the Bible, which reads "The voice of the turtle [as in turtle dove] is heard in our land." (2:10–13)[2][3] On December 8, 1943, the show opened at the Morosco Theatre and ran for 1,557 performances, making it the 51st longest-running show and the 9th longest-running play in Broadway history.[4] In 1947, the stage play was adapted into a film of the same name starring Ronald Reagan, Eleanor Parker, Eve Arden, and Wayne Morris.[2][3]

  1. ^ Weber, Bruce (14 September 2001). "Theater Review; A Play Outside the Mainstream of Its Time and Ours". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  2. ^ a b Gilpin, Donald (17 August 2005). "Princeton Summer Theater Plucks an Old Chestnut From the '40s; "Voice of the Turtle" Wraps Up 2005 Season in a Romantic Mode". Vol. LIX, No. 33. Town Topics. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  3. ^ a b Klein, Alvin (14 July 1996). "Theater; Boy Meets Girl Again In a Retro Romance". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
  4. ^ Hernandez, Ernio (28 May 2008). "Long Runs on Broadway". Celebrity Buzz: Insider Info. Playbill. Archived from the original on 20 April 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2008.