Getting Out

by Marsha Norman
Directed by Shannon Woolley Allison

May 19-28, 2016

UofL Theatre Arts Thrust Theatre
2314 S. Floyd St.
Louisville, KY

Campus/Parking Info

The Thrust Theatre is located in the HPES/Studio Arts building on the corner of Warnock and Floyd, diagonally opposite from McDonald’s and next to Papa John's. Metered street parking (free after 6:00pm) is available on Floyd Street. Free parking is available in university lots located along Floyd Street after 7:30 PM weekdays and all day on weekends.

Getting Out, the first play written by the nationally-acclaimed award-winning Kentucky native Marsha Norman, which premiered at Actors Theatre of Louisville in 1977, closes out LFL's mainstage season in May.

Recently released from prison, Arlene moves into a one-room apartment in Louisville, KY, prepared to start her life over. “Marsha Norman's first attention-grabbing work...has one leading character played by two actresses...Arlene [has] been released as a 'good prospect for integration into the social community' after serving eight years for second-degree murder, [and] works through the intrusive memory of her criminal past (personified by Arlie) [in] the first 24 hours after Arlene's release from a prison in Alabama.” (New York Times) Arlene interacts with different people in her present, who have the potential to pull her back into or away from her former life, while she remembers her past and the experiences and people in it that led her into that life and her years in prison.

Post-Show Talkbacks

Saturday, May 21
Cycle of Poverty & Incarceration
Facilitator: Miriam Hans, Restorative Justice Louisville
Panelists: Jennifer Clark (Program Director for the Family Stabilization Program, Family & Children’s Place),
Annell Lough (Outreach Family Advocate, The Center for Women and Families)

Monday, May 23
Re-Entry into Society
Facilitator: Dr. Ida Dickie
Panelists: Honey Dozier (‎Changemakers; JCTC alumna),
Matt Wallace (Director/Facilitator of Shakespeare Behind Bars and Producing Artistic Director of KY Shakespeare),
Ron (Shakespeare Behind Bars Company Alum)

Thursday, May 26
Legislation, Policy, and the Prison System
Facilitator: Attica Scott (LFL Board Member)

LFL Co-Artistic Director Shannon Woolley Allison is happy to be directing this important work by one of Louisville's favorite playwrights and says, "Recent conversations in our nation about the prison industrial complex, generational poverty, rates of recidivism, and the possibility of restorative justice, make it a rich time to revisit this piece, particularly through the lens of a formerly incarcerated woman."

In addition, LFL's production recognizes Marsha Norman's upcoming 70th birthday and her decades of accomplishments. She has received multiple awards, including a Tony award, a Pulitzer prize, and most recently, the William Inge Distinguished Lifetime Achievement in Theatre Award.

ACTING COMPANY
Laura Ellis^, Ben Gierhart, Eli Keel, Jennifer Thalman Kepler^, Jill Marie Schierbaum^, Karole Spangler^˚, Ben Unwin, Samantha Watzek

DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Scott Davis (Scenic Designer), Casey Clark (Lighting Designer), Laura Ellis^ (Sound Designer), Typh Hainer Merwarth^ (Costume Designer), Jill Marie Schierbaum^ (Props Manager), Regina Sepolio Harris (Stage Manager), Haydee Canovas (Producer), Holly Stone^ (Graphic Designer)

˚Member, Actors' Equity (AEA)
^LFL Company Member

Video
Getting Out onstage with Looking for Lilith Theatre Company, Great Day Live, WHAS11

Reviews & Articles
Starting Over Is Never Easy - Kate Barry, Arts-Louisville.com

Looking for Lilith’s Getting Out examines the first 24 hours out of prison - Melissa Chipman, InsiderLouisville.com

Press Release