The Berry College Theatre Company will present a tale of reform, compassion and honesty in “Getting Out,” the first production of the 2009-10 theatre season. Performances will be held Sept. 24-27 and Oct. 1-4 in the E.H. Young Theatre. Showtime is 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinees. Ticket prices are $5 opening night and $7 for all other performances. Call 706-236-2263 to reserve tickets.

Directed by faculty member John Countryman, “Getting Out” is being staged in conjunction with the Eighth Biennial Southern Woman Writers Conference, which Berry will host Sept. 24-26. Marsha Norman, the award-winning writer responsible for the play, is one of the featured authors in this year’s event. Her contributions to the Southern literary canon include ‘night Mother, which claimed a Pulitzer Prize in 1983, and the libretto for the musical version of The Color Purple. She also wrote the book and lyrics for the musical adaption of The Secret Garden, winning both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. Learn more about Norman and the other featured authors at www.berry.edu/swwc2009. Registration (both full-conference and Saturday-only) is still open. Call 706-368-6996 or e-mail swwc@berry.edu for details.

“Getting Out” tells the story of Arlene, a young woman living in Louisville, Ky., who has just been released from prison after serving an eight-year sentence for robbery and attempted murder. Played by Berry student Cassie Lentz, Arlene learns quickly that life on the outside is even tougher than the one she knew in prison. She must live a clean life not only to avoid incarceration, but also to regain custody of her son. The play will surely captivate as this ex-convict tries to overcome her past and move forward with her life.

As a special treat, audience members at the Sept. 25-26 performances will have the opportunity to take part in a live question-and-answer session with the author.