Based on the groundbreaking Turnaway Study, The Turnaway Play features real-life stories of women who were denied abortions across the United States.

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“The Turnaway Play has the potential to do for abortion what The Vagina Monologues did for vaginas.”

Vienna Farlow
“With the focus on the right to choose, we don't always think about those denied the choice and the consequences over the long run. In The Turnaway Play, we meet women with no options but to bring their pregnancies to term. Their stories are told in their own words with brutal honesty.”

Rachel Lampert
“A trenchant and somehow funny documentary play about the most overlooked aspect of Roe v. Wade: the impact on women’s (and their children’s) lives when they are turned away from terminating an unwanted pregnancy. Out of the real-life Turnaway Study, Lesley creates well rounded characters, and honor the true stories of women from the study — all while doing it from of lens of joy. No trauma porn here, Not sure how to make a ‘hard-hitting’ play with joy, but she did it.”

Godfrey Simmons
“As an abortion researcher, I really love how The Turnaway Play brings the findings of the Turnaway Study to a broader audience.”

Payal Chakraborty
“This play both made me think and made me feel, like so much of the best theater does. I left feeling like I was better able to have conversations with friends and family who might disagree with me about certain things.”

Juliana Friend
“It’s very rare that you sit in a room and talk about abortion and cry and laugh and think deeply about what it means for many, many people—what’s behind the statistics.”

Anna Noonan
"Producing this reading and post play discussion was such a gratifying experience, uplifting voices that are often stifled and generating many reflective conversations. Not only does this play have capacity to move people through earnest testimonies, but also to mobilize them."

Nora Cowett
"The Turnaway Play provided me with crucially relevant information about the consequences of denying access to abortion - this information was cleverly doled out with real-life accessible stories and even humor! I was riveted throughout."

Eloise Mahoney

Through humor, honesty, and candid stories from the study participants, this play aims to reduce stigma, normalize, humanize, and open a dialogue that affects over half of the population.

We hope this play helps activate communities to vote to expand and protect reproductive rights.

Science tells a tale, and it’s time to listen.

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Alysia Reiner as Dr. Foster, Soho Playhouse

Lu Chavez, Montana Lampert Hoover, Kitchen Theatre Company

Maya McCullough, Erica Reyes, Carolyn Best, AnnaJo Lubasi, Ifeoma Ihuoma, Ithaca College

Natasha Estrada, Elizabeth Rodriguez, April Matthis, Soho Playhouse

Caitlin Zoz, Casey Wortham, Martha Lorena Preve, HartBeat Ensemble

Aly Poole, Emily Mesa, Montana Lampert Hoover, SFP annual meeting 2023

Jenn Lyon, Alysia Reiner, Soho Playhouse

Emily Dean, Gilela Yitsege, Nicole Diaz, Duke University

Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, NYC

Panelists at Soho Playhouse: Lesley Greene, Kellie Overbey, Meera Shah, Chelsea Williams-Diggs, Amanda Perez Leder

Gilela Yitsege, Nicole Diaz, Duke University

Montana Lampert Hoover, Sylvie Yntema, Lu Chavez, Kitchen Theatre Company

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Facts About Abortion

“The Turnaway Play has the potential to do for abortion what The Vagina Monologues did for vaginas.”

“With the focus on the right to choose, we don't always think about those denied the choice and the consequences over the long run. In The Turnaway Play, we meet women with no options but to bring their pregnancies to term. Their stories are told in their own words with brutal honesty.”

“As an abortion researcher, I really love how The Turnaway Play brings the findings of the Turnaway Study to a broader audience.”

“This play both made me think and made me feel, like so much of the best theater does. I left feeling like I was better able to have conversations with friends and family who might disagree with me about certain things.”

“It’s very rare that you sit in a room and talk about abortion and cry and laugh and think deeply about what it means for many, many people—what’s behind the statistics.”

"Producing this reading and post play discussion was such a gratifying experience, uplifting voices that are often stifled and generating many reflective conversations. Not only does this play have capacity to move people through earnest testimonies, but also to mobilize them."

"The Turnaway Play provided me with crucially relevant information about the consequences of denying access to abortion - this information was cleverly doled out with real-life accessible stories and even humor! I was riveted throughout."

Gallery

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