A Fight For Your Rights

Diggit Dave Schroeder

Telling the story of the women working as watch dial painters who endured radiation poisoning due to their working conditions, the folks at PACA are set to stage Radium Girls, featuring a cast full of newcomers eager to share their version of this historical moment.

BEGINNING FRIDAY, JUL. 18

The Performing Arts Collective Alliance (PACA) is proud to present their upcoming dramatic production of Radium Girls, an at-times humorous, historical commentary into a time of health and hazard in the United States.

It's the Roaring Twenties, and luminous watches are the latest must-have in fashion. That is, until the women painting them begin to contract a mysterious illness. Grace Fryer, a dial painter, must bring the fight and shed light on the harmful conditions she and her coworkers are working under. But when new obstacles present themselves, will she have what it takes to get the job done?

Director Char Newport is excited to bring this two-act play to the PACA stage. Although she has worked closely with PACA since 2019, this show will mark her directorial debut.

She has enjoyed watching the actors grow into their roles and learn about the historical significance of the characters they are portraying: "The majority of the characters in the show were real people. It is absolutely crucial to know who they were as people and show them the respect they deserve."

Many of the actors in this production will be making their premier performance at PACA, with only two returning talents, Luke Scribner and Michael Jeffries.

"A story of women's rights, workers' rights, and capitalism's quest for profits over people is so necessary at this point in history and I am so proud that we have been able to bring it to life," Newport said.

If Newport could only convey one message to the public through this production, she would set a reminder that, "We have to be willing and able to fight for our right to be safe, secure, and respected."

Due to the gruesome nature of these radium-induced illnesses, Radium Girls is not recommended for younger audiences. 

Fridays and Saturdays, July 18 through Aug, 3 at 7:30 p.m. // Thursday, July 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 3 at 2 p.m. // PACA, 1505 State St. // $20 // For tickets and info: tickets.eriereader.com