Students in the new theatre show “Getting Out” are getting out of their comfort zones with a different, dramatic, edgy and emotional play this week.”Getting Out” looks into the past and present of a young woman, Arlene, attempting to find her way in life after being released from prison.
Amanda Bass and Tricia Williamson both play the role of Arlene – one before prison and the other after getting out of prison.
“The two personalities examine the struggle of the individual to ultimately remake herself in the shadow of her past actions, as well as in the eyes of those who judge and dismiss her,” said Preston Swincher, a sophomore musical theatre major and the theatre publicity chairman.
Cheryl Bellows, a senior musical theatre major, plays the role of Arlene’s mom.
“In essence, the show is about starting over,” Bellows said. “People look for that second chance in life and wish they could start over.”
Bass, a junior theatre major, portrays Arlene after her release from prison and said this was her hardest role to play yet.
“My character is just so different,” Bass said. “She killed a man, found God and is trying not to go back into prostitution. I, on the other hand, go to TCU and worry about things like if I’ll pass my psychology test or not.”
The cast has been rehearsing since the semester started, director TJ Walsh said.
“We worked hard, but we would have a lot of fun,” Bass said. “It’s nice to be around people that love what they are doing and be in a group where people are exactly where they want to be.”
The crew for the show welded iron bars together to create a prison setting, said Julie Via, a junior theatre major and costume designer for the show.
There are 12 characters in this show, which was written by Marsha Norman.
Norman is a Pulitzer Prize winner and head of play writing at The Juilliard School in New York City, Walsh said.
No one under the age of 14 should attend the show because of its adult content, Via said.
“It’s a good, very solid show,” Bellows said. “People will like it because it’s down to earth, gritty and moving.
