BHS Bobcat Drama presents 'Radium Girls'

BHS Bobcat Drama is gearing up for its production of D.W. Gregory’s gripping drama, Radium
Girls. The playtells the haunting true story of teenaged and young women employed to work
with radium-infused paint to produce watch and clock dials during WWI and in the decade that
followed. The dial companies worked to provide altimeters for military aircraft, and glow-in-thedark watches for soldiers in the fields. There were factories in Ottawa, IL. (The Radium Dial
Company); Waterbury, CT (The Waterbury Clock Company), each established during the
1920’s, but the earliest was the United States Radium Corporation, located in Orange, New
Jersey, which is the setting for Radium Girls.
At first thought to be a cure-all for many ailments and diseases including cancer, radium was
discovered by Pierre and Marie Curie, along with fellow physicist Henri Becquerel. The trio was
awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work. However, it would not be long before many
of the young dial painters would exhibit various aches and pains that would contradict the initial
fervor for radium. Maladies included anemia, jaw malformations, fragile teeth, leukemia and
even bone cancer. The mission of the young women to prove a connection between the
radium-laced paint and their medical problems would be an uphill battle, but eventually they
would succeed in bringing radium to its true dangerous light, and in holding the companies for
which they worked, responsible. Radium Girls tells their story.
The cast for the BHS Bobcat Drama production consists of the following:
Sadie Sharp as Grace Fryer; Andrew Griesenauer as Arthur Roeder; Averie Engel as
Kathryn Schaub; Paige Thurman as Irene Rudolph and Harriet Roeder; Rachel Jordan as Mrs.
Fryer; A.C. Calvillo as Tom Kreider; Reece Williams as Markley, Drinker, and Reporter; Keily
Diaz as Sob Sister; Jacob Ellis as Berry, Martland, Store Owner, Flinn, and Dr. Knef; Ford
Byerley as Von Soschocky, Lovesick Cowboy and Board Member #2; Karson Casey as Lee,
Bailey and Venecine Salesman; Shelby Allen as Marie Curie and Board Member #1; Ekira
Hernandez and Aubrey Lee as Society Woman; Aubrey Lee as Shopgirl, Clerk, Society Woman
and ensemble; Molly Staats as Photographer, ensemble, Marie Curie, Board Member #2 and
ensemble; and Austin Hattenhauer as Photographer 2, Male Shopper, Board Member # 3, and
ensemble, and Mr. Hunter Rivett.
Stage Managers for the show are Ashlee Bills and Jaden Hood.
Crews include:
Set Construction: Andrew Griesenauer, Dakota Pierce, Maynor Valiente Cruz, Gavin
Corser, Sage Tresler, Sadie Sharp, Paige Thurman, Jacob Ellis, Katrielle Culling, Ameliyah
Morales, Jaden Hood, Brenda Orozco, A.C. Calvillo, Carly Smith
Lights: Andrew Griesenauer, Ayden Mora, Maynor Valiente Cruz, Dakota Pierce, and
Roxana Vega
Sound: Josh Laibwij, Frank Tomarchio, Sage Tresler
Hair and Makeup: Sidney Kisner, Kynadee Hopper, Mallory Whitson, and Tessa
Johnson on Hair and Makeup;
Props/Furniture:Karson Casey, Andrew Griesenauer, Ayanna Sincero, Jessi Smith, Addie
Ashford
Publicity: Carley Ward, Cat Estilette
House/Box Office: Brooke Clark, Josslin Dorsey, Anna Marts
BHS Bobcat Drama will present Radium Girls for the public Thursday and Saturday,
April 11th and 13th at 7:00 PM, and Sunday, April 14th at 2:30 PM. Director Meleia
Lewis wants to issue a special thanks to Platinum Producer CS Bank, and Gold
Producer Worley’s Rental for helping to make this production possible.