Auditions - Radium Girls
In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie an international celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Though Radium Girls ranges from 1918 through the 1940’s, the bulk of the narrative is centered on events in New Jersey in the mid 1920’s.
The play highlights Grace, Irene, and Kathryn who paint dials in the U.S. Radium Plant and are instructed to finely point their brushes by molding the bristles with their mouths while painting. The factory’s enthusiastic new owner, Arthur Roeder is an idealistic man and excited by radium’s promising future and the company’s potential for growth. Roeder cannot bring himself to believe that the same element that shrinks tumors could have anything to do with the disturbing streak of illnesses among his employees. The plant tries to keep the girls who are getting sicker from talking to the press, push back their court dates, and deflect any negativity toward the company. As Grace fights for her day in court she finds herself battling not just with the U.S. Radium Corporation, but with her own family and friends, who fear that her campaign for justice will backfire. Some of the surviving girls finally get settlements and medical coverage for the rest of their shortened lives.
Auditions are July 20th & 21st at the Springboro Performing Arts Center starting at 7:00 PM. These will be held in the chamber office, please meet in the lobby further directions will be provided there.
There is the potential for callbacks on July 22nd, though this will not be determined until after the July 21st auditions.
Auditions will consist of cold reads from the script. Research into the subject matter of the play is not required but heavily encouraged before auditions.
We will accept video auditions up until 5:00 PM on July 20th, anything submitted after will not be considered. If you need to utilize this option please reach out to the director via email by July 16th for further steps.
CHARACTERS:
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The Women in the Factory
GRACE FRYER ................. A top-notch dialpainter, 15 at the start of the play, 26 at its close.
KAIBRYN SCHAUB ........... Her friend, another dialpainter, also 15 at the start of the play.
IRENE RUDOLPH ............. Kathryn's cousin, 17 at the start of the play. Later she is in her 20s.
MRS. ALMA MACNEIL ...... Their supervisor.
The Company Men
ARTHUR ROEDER .... President of the U.S. Radium Corp., 34 at start of the play, 65 at its close.
EDWARD MARKLEY .... Counsel for the company.
C.B. "CHARLIE” LEE .....Vice president, later president of the company.
DR. VON SOCHOCKY ...... Founder of U.S. Radium Corp., inventor of the luminous paint.
Their Family and Friends
TOM KREIDER ........ Grace's boyfriend, several years older than she.
DIANE ROEDER ............. Married to Arthur Roeder.
HARRIET ROEDER..... Their daughter. Nine years old at first, later she is in her 30s.
ANNA FRYER .......... Grace's mother.
The Advocates
KATHERINE WILEY ............. The executive director of the New Jersey Consumer's League.
RAYMOND BERRY ........ An attorney for the dialpainters.
The Scientists
DR. CECIL DRINKER ....... A Harvard industrial hygienist.
DR. HARRISON MARTLAND . The county medical examiner.
DR. JOSEPH KNEF ......................... A dentist.
DR. MARIE CURIE .................. Discovered radium.
FREDERICK FLINN, Ph.D ............ Columbia University industrial hygienist.
The Press
REPORTER (JACK YOUNGWOOD) ........... A reporter, Newark Ledger.
SOB SISTER (NANCY JANE HARLAN) .. A tabloid reporter, New York Graphic.
The Witnesses
WILLIAM J.A. BAILEY .... An entrepreneur, manufacturer of Radithor.
MRS. MICHAELS ............... A consumer of Radithor.
SOCIETY WOMAN ......... Mrs. James (Cora) Middleton, a well-bred woman.
CLERK ................. An overworked public employee
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OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO TAKE AN INTEREST IN THE CASE
Please reach out to Emma Essex with any question, she can be reached at emvissch@gmail.com