By Mr. Dolan, Daisy Bhatt, Kyoko James, and Kaitlyn Munsie
Bedford High School is excited to present Radium Girls on Friday, November 13 from 7-9 pm, and Saturday, November 14 with 1-3 pm and 7-9 pm showings. Tickets can be purchased here. To help viewers prepare for the experience, this preview includes the premise of the play, the cast list, and a few key questions with cast and crew members.
Premise of the Play
Based on the recent hit novel, author Kate Moore’s website introduces the novel in this way:
“The Curies’ newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War.
Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these “shining girls” are the luckiest alive – until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.
But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women’s cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America’s early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers’ rights that will echo for centuries to come.”
Cast
The full cast list is linked here, but some of the key roles include:
- Grace Fryer by Kyoko James
- Kathryn Schaub by Sri Shloka Venkatesh
- Irene Rudolph by Mikaylah Cardoso
- Mrs. Alma MacNeil by Zivah Chessman
- Arthur Roeder by John Luedde
- Edward Markley by Porter Venuti
- C.B. “Charlie Lee” by Robert Thomas
- Dr. Von Sochocky by Porter Venuti
- Tom Kreider by Isaac Poulter
- Mrs. Diane Roeder by Logan Toth
- Harriet Roeder by Reena Bao
- Mrs. Anna Fryer by Annaliese Randazzo
- Miss Katherine Wiley by Abby Titlow
- Raymond Berry by Steven Sandler
- Dr. Cecil Drinker by Robert Thomas
- Dr. Harrison Martland Steven Sandler
- Dr. Joseph Knef Isaac Poulter
- Dr. Marie Curie Kaitlyn Munsie
- Frederick Flinn, Ph.D Steven Sandler
- Sob Sister Tatum Langway
For the following questions, members of the play cast Kyoko James and Kaitlyn Munsie, as well as crew member Daisy Bhatt, spoke with Mr. Dolan, the Lookout advisor to share some thoughts.
The Lookout: Why this play at this time?
Student Responses: Answers are paraphrased from discussion notes. We felt that some of the events and themes of the story are important because we are seeing echoes in our world and government today. This play tells the story of “the historical exploitation of women and workers by people with power,” and paved the way for “worker protections that are in place today” such as the “creation of OSHA, company liability, and statutes of limitations on lawsuits.” The play also made us look more carefully at the current US government’s approach toward science and safety. It’s scary.
The Lookout: What scenes did you really like working on, or expect the audience to really like?
Student Responses:
“The scene where Mr. Markley comes up to Grace and Mrs. Fryer about the settlement, and Grace stands up for herself, reclaiming her voice” – Kyoko James
“When grace is going to Katherine Wiley asking for help to get her story out there”- Daisy Bhatt
The Lookout: For whom is this play appropriate?
Student Response: The language is appropriate for all ages, but some of the bigger themes and historical knowledge might be better for middle school and older.
The Lookout: The Effect of Radiation Poisoning is a big part of the play. How are the crew, specifically hair, makeup, and costume, working with that?
Student Response: “There will be glow in the dark paint, to show the deterioration over time, with a lot of thought into how this will manifest in physical appearance.” – Daisy Bhatt
