Triad High School’s fall play, Radium Girls, will be performed in the school’s cafetorium on Thursday, November 2, and Friday, November 3, at 7 p.m.
“In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie an international celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage—until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court. Her chief adversary is her former employer, Arthur Roeder, an idealistic man who cannot bring himself to believe that the same element that shrinks tumors could have anything to do with the terrifying rash of illnesses among his employees. As the case goes on, however, Grace finds herself battling not just with the U.S. Radium Corporation, but with her own family and friends, who fear that her campaign for justice will backfire. Written with warmth and humor, Radium Girls is a fast-moving, highly theatrical ensemble piece [featuring actors] who play more than 30 parts—friends, co-workers, lovers, relatives, attorneys, scientists, consumer advocates, and myriad interested bystanders. Called a ‘powerful’ and ‘engrossing’ drama by critics, Radium Girls offers a wry, unflinching look at the peculiarly American obsessions with health, wealth, and the commercialization of science.”
The cast includes the Women in the Factory: Kaylee Kitchen as Grace Fryer, Brooklyn Pace as Kathryn Schaub, Megan Kitchen as Irene Rudolph, and Bela Zarzecki as Mrs. Alma MacNeil. The Company Men are played by Cody Patterson (Arthur Roeder), Xavier Carter (Edward Markley), Riley Cannon (C.B. “Charlie” Lee), and Carter (Dr. Von Sochocky).
Family and friends include Wyatt Boyer as Tom Kreider, Molli Klein as Diane Roeder and Pace as Harriet Roeder, Zarzecki as Mrs. Anna Fryer. The Advocates for the girls are made up of Roxana Daugherty as Katherine Wiley and Leah Connelly as Raymond Berry.
The Scientists are Cannon as Dr. Cecil Drinker, Ashton Lafontaine as Dr. Harrison Martland, Connelly as Dr. Joseph Knef, Paige Obernuefemann as Dr. Marie Curie and Lafontaine as Frederick Flinn, Ph.D.
The Press is made up of Vinny Hollingsead as Reporter Jack Youngwood and Nora Mae Daugherty as Sob Sister Nancy Jane Harlan.
The Witnesses who round out the cast include Cannon (William J.A. Bailey and Court), Megan Kitchen (Mrs. Michaels), Gwen Wright (Society Woman Cora Middleton, Shopgirl and Board Member), Kaylee Deatherage (Clerk and Elderly Widow), Roxana Daugherty (Board Member), Klein (Board Member), Obernuefemann (Customer), Lafontaine (Store Owner, Lovesick Cowboy and Male Shopper), Carter (Venecine Salesman).
The assistant directors are Anna Riley and Aubrie Young. Student directors are Libby Friederich, Darcy Maguire, and Taylor Szegedy. Stage Managers are Lilly Wright and Kenzie Evans.
Sound technicians are Rosa Cigliana and JoJo Fortin with assistance from Mr. Kyle Metze. The lighting technicians are Madlyn Camerer and Elise Heinle with assistance from Mrs. Laurel Sexton-Juenger. Lilly Wright and Kara Littlefield are props masters. Madi Mitchell, Cheyenne Stephens, and Tessa Whitehead are costume masters. Sunny Braun and Kaleb Caperton are hair and makeup artists.
Sexton-Juenger serves as technical director with a stage crew of Claudia Coats, Evans, Addison Frank, Izzi Haynes, Katherine Hellrung, Jenna Janisch, Cali Kichline, Connor Pearce, Izaiah Pope, Jaylyn Smollen, Ellie Symmonds, Lilly Vanderbunt, Lilly Wright.
Mrs. Shannon Mallrich directs.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors.
The play is produced by special arrangement with DRAMATIC PUBLISHING of Woodstock, Illinois. Originally produced by Playwrights Theatre in New Jersey and developed with a commissioning grant from The Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation of Science and Technology Project.