Theater TSC will host six performances of “Radium Girls” from October 3-5 and October 11-13 in the Turner Auditorium. “Radium Girls” is the first of three productions in the 2024-25 season.
Written by D.W. Gregory, Theatre TSC’s “Radium Girls” will be performed by a nine-person cast. The play dives deep into the exciting glow-in-the-dark substance known as radium. It was used as a miracle cure and to paint the faces of watches in the 1920s – until the girls painting those watches started becoming mysteriously ill.
“This is one of the few plays in most recent times that are based on a real story,” said Theatre TSC Director Eva Nielsen. “It’s a really powerful drama.”
“Radium Girls” follows the story of Grace Fryer, played by TSC student Allison Wotherspoon. Grace fought for compensation from the United States Radium Corporation after witnessing her friends get sick and die and she fell ill herself.
Wotherspoon said this play showcases how the hardship in this time period changes people.
“Every character in the show was a real person,” she says. “It’s a nice fun way to learn about history.”
“Radium Girls” Director Matthew Watson said it is important to tell women’s stories like the one told in the play. These women’s stories can also be connected to the ones being told today.
“Given everything that’s happening in our country right now, I think, it’s a crucial story to tell,” Watson said.
Admission is free for TSC students and faculty with a TSC ID. Shows will be held at 8 p.m. on Oct 3-5, 8 p.m. on Oct 11-12, and 2 p.m. on Oct 13. Ages 13 and up.
