When you think about corporations that sicken or kill their employees or the general public for the sake of profits, Purdue Pharma’s opioids or Monsanto’s Roundup or PG&E’s Erin Brockovich might come to mind, but the original case of on-the-job cancer and corporate irresponsibility occurred more than 100 years ago and is the subject of the Perry High School Drama Department’s fall production, “Radium Girls,” which plays next weekend.
The drama tells the story of female workers at United States Radium Corp., which started making glow-in-the-dark watch and clock faces in 1914 using radioactive paint. The company also made luminous watches and gauges for the U.S. Army during World War I and World War II.
Although U.S. Radium’s managers and scientists — all males — took precautions when handling the radioactive material and used masks and gloves and screens, the company told its female factory workers who hand-painted the dials that the radioactive paint was harmless. The production workers were even directed to sharpen the tips of their paint brushes using their lips.
After ingesting radium on the job, the women slowly began to glow and to fall ill with mysterious symptoms, such as wounds that would not heal and bones that deteriorated. After the illness and death of numerous workers, the company became the target of lawsuits in the late 1920s, and the cases eventually contributed to the development of workplace safety and health laws.
The true story of the casually poisoned laborers has been the subject of many works of literature, film and music, including a 2018 film version, called “Radium Girls,” which the PHS dramatists screened as a group.
With some 40 students in the cast and crew of “Radium Girls,” PHS Drama Director Randy Peterson said logistics and
“It’s been kind of a challenge, coming out of the COVID era here for theater,” Peterson said. “We’ve still got people coming off of quarantine, and on top of that we’ve got a huge cast here, so just trying to keep them all safe is a challenge.”
Peterson, now in his fifth year of directing the student players, said he likes to alternate each semester between “a comedy piece and a dramatic piece just to give my actors a good range of theater experience.”
Among Peterson’s standouts is senior Molly Moorhead, who has been acting since she was a freshman.
“I feel really at home on a stage,” Moorhead said. “I always have. And I’ve always found people who love it just as much as me who I can grow really close to because of our bonds.”
Junior Kyla McKenzie has also been treading the boards since her freshman year.
“I like it because it gives you a chance to be someone else for the time being, and you can just completely switch your personality.”
“Radium Girls” is freshman Riley Sergent’s first high school play, but he acted in one-act productions in Perry Middle School, which are also directed by Peterson.
“I enjoy diving into a world,” Sergent said, “almost like watching a movie or reading a book, and laying a character is enjoyable for me.”
The full cast list of “Radium Girls” includes:
- Grace – Molly Moorhead
- Roeder – Sebastian Hernandez
- Miss Wiley – Bryce Eastman
- Tom – Jefry Gonzalez
- Kathryn – Amber Benway
- Irene – Candace Hoisington
- Mrs. Roeder – Kyla McKenzie
- Sob Sister – Alexa Nelson
- Lee – Riley Sergent
- Berry – Jesus Gonzalez
- Markley – Maddy Hollingsworth
- Von Sochocky/Venecine Salesman – Lucas Davis
- Reporter – Andres Zarate
- Madame Curie/Customer – Aliya Ikhsanova
- Mrs. Fryer/Widow – Amy Aguirre
- Harriet/Board Member 1 – Ava Augustus
- Martland – Jose Chavez
- Dr. Knef – Adam Atkins
- Dr. Flinn/Dr. Drinker – Ethan Jackson
- Macneil/Clerk – Natalee Newhouse
- Mrs. Michaels – Olivia Christensen
- Shop Girl – Yajaira Hernandez
- Bailey/Male Shopper – Dominic Rinner
- Court/Lovesick Cowboy – Orlando Gonzalez
“Radium Girls” will be staged Friday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Perry Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5 for all ages and are available in the PHS office or at the door.
