Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy is proud to present “Radium Girls” by D.W. Gregory.
The play will run on Tuesday, May 2, and Wednesday, May 3, at 7 p.m. in The White Theatre at The J.
“Radium Girls” tells the true story of a group of young female factory workers in the 1920s who painted watch dials for the U.S. Radium Corporation. As a result of ingesting radium from the paint they used, many of the girls got sick and died. The play explores the lives of these young women and how they spoke out against the powerful corporation whose poisonous products led them to their deaths.
Director Micah Margolies selected the show because he believes that — despite taking place nearly a century ago — the story's themes are timely and relevant to a modern audience.
“It's a show about a small group of relatively powerless people attempting to stand up for what's right in the face of massive adversity,” Margolies said. “Times have changed, but the issues these workers spoke out against bear similarities to the unthinkable working conditions that still exist in plenty of places throughout the world. Additionally, it's a great, fast-paced show with incredible parts for high school actors.”
The cast has been rehearsing for the play since January. Senior Zach Hardy is excited for the opportunity to appear in his fourth and final HBHA high school production.
“I play Mr. Roeder, who becomes the president of the U.S. Radium Corporation,” Hardy said. “I don't think I've ever played a character like him before. He's a very complicated man. I think my favorite part about him is that I have the opportunity to portray multiple emotions at the same time. The whole point of many of my scenes is to try to draw pity from the audience. You have to mix sadness and anger into a single scene. It's a very fun process preparing to play him.”
The show features performances from HBHA high school students Evelyn Brand, Aviva Clauer, Elia Ellis, Ellie Glickman, Zachary Granoff, Zach Hardy, Ethan Hobbs, Benji Kohl, Sofia Levine, Zachary Liss, Yoni Rich, Jei Valdivia, and David Wasserman. It is stage managed by Illy Hammer and directed by Micah Margolies.
Tickets are available for purchase at the door. Student tickets are $6, and adult tickets are $10.