Welcome to Little Theatre of Norfolk
This play unfolds a heartrending Historical fiction from the 1920s that marks a critical point in American labor history. It delves into the lives of the Radium Girls, factory workers employed to paint dials using radium-infused paint, who began to die under mysterious circumstances. Amid widespread ignorance about the lethal nature of radium, the world, guided by the esteemed physicist and chemist Madame Curie, believed in its restorative abilities. The factory workers were trained to shape their brushes with their lips for finer details, a practice which, unbeknownst to them, was slowly leading to their poisoning. As the catastrophic effects of radium slowly came to light, five brave women in New Jersey took legal action against their employers. However, they reached an out-of-court settlement in 1928. These women’s struggles and bravery form the basis of D.W. Gregory’s compelling work.
Callbacks Saturday August 19th, 2023 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 20th- November 5th, 2023
Rehearsal times may differ based on scheduling and availability.
Those auditioning will be given a short monologue from the show but may also perform monologues of their choosing that allows them to demonstrate their range. Monologues should be no longer than 1 minute.
Any questions can be sent to volunteer@ltnonline.org
RADIUM GIRLS is written to be performed by an ensemble of at least four men and five women, though a larger cast can perform it. The ensemble plays BOARD MEMBERS, members of the PUBLIC and various PRESS as the scenes require
A top-notch dialpainter. She is 15 at the start of the play and 26 at its close.
Grace's friend. She is another dialpainter. Also 15 at the start of the play.
Kathryn's cousin. She is 17 at the start of the play. Later, she is in her 20s.
The women's supervisor at the factory.
President of The U.S Radium Corp, 34 at the start of the play, 65 at its close
Counsel for the company
Vice President, later President of the company
Founder of U.S. Radium Corp., Inventor of luminous paint.
Grace's Boyfriend, Several years older than she is.
Married to Arthur Roeder
Their Daughter, Nine years old at first, later in her 30's
Grace's Mother
The executive Director, New Jersey Consumer's League
An attorney for the dial painters.
A Harvard industrial hygienist
The county medical examiner
A dentist
Discovered radium
Columbia University industrial hygienist.
A reporter, Newark Ledger
A tabloid reporter, New York Graphic.
An entrepreneur, manufacturer of Radithor
A consumer of Radithor
Mrs. James (Cora) Middleton
An over worked pub lie employee
Please email info@ltnonline.org if you are looking for any more information.