“Radium Girls: Competition Edition” — A Haunting Tribute to Truth and Courage

Review by Sarah Satterfield

Decatur High School Advance Acting’s one-act production of Radium Girls: Competition Edition, written by D.H. Gregory, directed by Emily Nichols and led by an accomplished student cast and crew, is a moving portrayal of courage, loss, and the pursuit of justice. With assistant direction by Evelyn Galenkamp and set design by Chris Davis, they deliver a heartfelt retelling of a true story that changed American labor history. Tickets for the production, which runs October 16-19, are on sale through Decatur Performs.

The play opens in the energetic hum of the early 1900s, where optimism and opportunity seem boundless. Noah Crocker as Arthur Roeder captures the bravado of a businessman certain that science and success walk hand in hand. He sells the promise of radium’s glow as if it were magic bottled for the modern age and illustrates the rush of an era hungry for innovation, unaware of the cost about to be revealed.

Jinx Meredith brings determination to the role of Ms. Wiley, the reformer who refuses to stay silent. Her calm persistence stands as a counterpoint to the business world’s denial, reminding the audience that advocacy often begins as a lone voice against a chorus of doubt.
The heart of the production lies with the young women at the factory, whose laughter and friendship make the tragedy that follows all the more devastating. Sidra Bennett as Grace Fryer, Chloe Holland as Kathryn Schaub, and Talia Schmoll as Irene radiate warmth, confidence, and the spirit of a new generation of working women. They dance, share secrets, and dream about love and marriage, their futures shimmering as brightly as the luminous paint they use. In these moments, the production captures the innocence of their hopes before the truth begins to shadow their lives.

As the story unfolds, the ticking of a clock echoes across the stage, an ever-present reminder of time slipping away. With each scene, the rhythm builds tension and mirrors the audience’s growing awareness that something is terribly wrong. The women fall ill, yet their pain is brushed aside, their symptoms questioned, and their words dismissed. The cast portrays this shift with heartbreaking realism, showing how easily truth can be buried under denial and greed.

Sidra Bennett’s portrayal of Grace Fryer is especially moving. Her Grace begins as a young woman full of hope, planning for her marriage to Joby Roger’s character Tom Kreider and imagining a happy, ordinary life. Bennett gives the character a tender sincerity that makes her transformation all the more powerful. When Grace begins to realize that her health has been stolen, she does not crumble. Instead, she channels her loss into resolve, choosing to fight for justice even as her own future fades. Through Bennett’s performance, the audience witnesses the sacrifice behind every headline about the Radium Girls. Grace loses not only her health but the life she had dreamed of, all for the chance to make sure others would not suffer the same fate.

The technical elements of the production elevate its impact. The set design evokes the world of the 1920s factory floor and the hair, makeup, and costume teams capture the period’s look and the gradual decline of the women as the effects of radium exposure take hold. The lighting shifts from warm tones of possibility to shades of steel and ghostly green, reflecting the duality of beauty and danger that defined the era.

The production builds momentum with care, scene by scene, until the full truth emerges. The audience can feel the pressure mounting, the moral questions tightening like the hands of the clock. When the women finally stand up to the powerful who denied them, the tension comes to a boil. The courtroom scenes reveal not only the courage of the Radium Girls but also the hypocrisy of those who sought to protect their reputations instead of lives.

When corporate defenses finally collapse, remorse arrives too late. Alex Hays as Dr. Von Sochocky, the inventor of the radioactive paint that set the tragedy in motion, reflects on his pivotal role and the bitter irony of becoming a victim of his own creation. The closing scenes are haunting, not with fury but with quiet resignation. As the stage fades to a soft green glow, the audience is left with a lingering awareness that the light of “progress” can sometimes burn too bright.

This story not only captures a moment in our history but also becomes a cautionary tale. Watching the manipulation of evidence, the dismissal of experts, and the attempts to discredit victims, we are reminded to battle against misinformation and bad actors hiding behind or tarnishing the reputation of trusted institutions. The story’s moral clarity still burns bright nearly a century later.

This student-led production of Radium Girls feels genuine, every design choice deliberate, and every moment built with care. It is a living memorial to Grace Fryer and her coworkers—women whose suffering and strength reshaped the standards of workplace safety and the meaning of accountability. DHS Advanced Acting honors their legacy with a performance that is heartfelt, haunting, and unforgettable.
Radium Girls opens October 16-19. For more information or to get your tickets to the show visit DecaturPerforms.org