Radium Girls
at Chantilly High School

Reviewed on May 8, 2015

Michaela Flemming
Stone Bridge High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, so what would you do if your charitable aims went horribly wrong? That conflict between idealism and reality is at the heart of Radium Girls, performed by Chantilly High School.

The play Radium Girls is based on the true story of female factory workers at the US Radium factory, after they contracted radium poisoning from painting glow-in-the-dark watch faces. Five women eventually sued the company and the resulting case established workers' rights to sue their employers for diseases contracted on the job. The play follows the story of one of the women, Grace Fryer, as she copes with the effects of radium poisoning and seeks justice for herself and her fellow workers.

The cast was marked by strong leading performances, excellent intonation and a strong commitment to character. Mia Rickenbach and Ryan Rickard led the cast as Grace and Roeder respectively. Both had excellent character development, taking the audience on a journey as they transformed from naive idealistic people to pragmatists confronting the complex realities of their situations. Grace's relationship with Tom, played by Jack David, was tender and felt authentic with some of the couple's most poignant moments being in the second act when Tom leaves Grace. Miss Rickenbach's performance was tremendously heartfelt and extremely realistic as she reacted to the end of her relationship. Aided by spot-on makeup, Carly Carter as Kathryn did a stellar job with her character's development from carefree to cynical by the second act. Diego Encarnacion as Markley had a great understanding of his character; he matched his voice and his movements to his character's icy arrogance appropriately and he came off as very mature.

The set, designed by Justine Huh, Michael Klosso and Ashley Shao was minimalistic but every piece designed had multiple purposes and provided great levels for the actors. The multi-level design also enabled different parts of the stage to be lit at different times, which made transitions much smoother. The stage management for Radium Girls, headed by Michael Rosegrant and Tova Besalel was also notable for its impressive degree of organization, keeping the production flowing smoothly. Props for the show were also noteworthy as the prop team had to be creative to find substitutes for glowing radium that actors could safely eat onstage. Publicity organized by Kendra Harder, Fiona Kisiday and Hannah Warnick focused on informing students about the significance of the Radium Girls as well as community outreach and was generally very effective. Altogether the technical aspects of the show were very cohesive and while subtle, they were very thoughtfully executed.

All together Radium Girls was a very well done production with strong technical aspects that didn't overwhelm the actors' performances. It was a captivating depiction of a time when industrial accidents were all too common, leaving ordinary people to struggle with the consequences. The actors and crew rose to the challenge, giving an insightful, nuanced, and radiant performance.

Lily Brock
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

The human body doesn't take kindly to a great number of things. The human mind, however, does seem to have an even greater penchant for money. The adept cast and crew of Chantilly High School's production of "Radium Girls" crafted an evocative telling of the collision of ignorance and exploitation seen so frequently throughout American history.

Written by D.W. Gregory, "Radium Girls" recounts the plight of U.S. Radium Corporation workers in the 1910s and 1920s who contracted fatal ailments as a result of exposure to radium. In rapidly deteriorating health and struggling to pay medical bills, former worker Grace Fryer mustered the courage to bring a lawsuit against her powerful, former employer. The show examines the historical phenomenon that occurs at the intersection of capitalism, popular science, and labor abuse.

Mia Rickenbach played Grace Fryer with genuine dedication; transformed from a quiet naivety to a quiet forcefulness. As Grace's condition worsened, Rickenbach harnessed Grace's inner power, meeting physical weakness with an internal fortitude of spirit. Playing Arthur Roeder, Ryan Rickard lent dimensionality to a man with "great enterprise and great ambition." Nuanced and mature, Rickard crafted the show's primary antagonist as a tragic figure, clinging to his misguided idealism amidst moral conflict.

As Roeder‘s despicable counterpart, Diego Encarnacion played the lawyer Markley with a mix of restraint and smarminess. Intentionally leaving his subtext to simmer beneath a pristine façade, Encarnacion' s Markley was assured, polished, and politely devious. Jack David‘s portrayal of Tom found its anchoring in his honesty and believability. David meshed remarkably well with Rickenbach as the young couple. Lovingly bickering over wallpaper, the duo provided levity in their first scene together. Their endearing chemistry proved a stark contrast to their later scene in which the two came to terms with the marriages, nurseries, and wallpapered homes that would never be. Raw, and utterly heart-breaking, David and Rickenbach depicted loss on a guttural level. Rickenbach‘s final pleas no doubt resonated in the bones of both the audience and the actors.

The cast's talent and professionalism were only enhanced by the brilliance of the show's technical components. The story unraveled against a backdrop of headlines, underlining the exploitive influence of sensationalized media that revolved around the case. The simplicity of wood and brick-painted flats allowed for the set's versatility and adherence to the period. Props likewise demonstrated an acute attention to detail with scenes enhanced by luminous paint, blood capsules, and smoking prop cigarettes. Tumors, sores, and other physical maladies were conveyed in the character's makeup. A painful scene reached its climax as Grace undid her bandage to expose her engorged sores. Her transformation was further highlighted in the shift in her clothing from light, youthful blouses to a somber, dark dress. Costumes aptly reflected the post-war era and the characters' socioeconomic position.

Anchored by professionalism and commitment, the cast and crew of Chantilly High School were masterful storytellers, well equipped with pathos and poignancy.

Khrysgiana Pineda
Stone Bridge High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

Is there no end to what science can do? Certainly not in a high school's glowing performance that kept the audience captivated until the clock stopped and the curtain dropped. As poison engulfed the headlines of the Herald Examiner, the living dead fought a grueling battle for justice in Chantilly High School's stimulating production of Radium Girls.

Written by DW Gregory, Radium Girls is based on a true story depicting the unfortunate events of young factory workers at the U.S. Radium Corporation. Their saga eventually led to the enactment of worker's rights. Gregory's play analyzes the aspects of science, health and wealth in this fascinating historic drama.

From luminous watches to curing cancer, radium was considered the profound miracle of miracles in 1926. However, when factory girls began to die from mysterious illnesses beginning with a toothache and ending with anemia, necrosis and deformation, this wondrous substance came into question. Bright eyed girls licked radium dipped paintbrushes in order to draw fine lines on clocks, ignorant that their own time was running out. As radiation set in, Grace Fryer, a dial painter, battled for her day in court as the tick tocks began to play the drum roll that pointed the hour hand toward her death.

The tragedy of the show was illuminated by the petrifying performance of Grace, played by Mia Rickenbach, whose fanatic passion and resonating stage presence left the audience breathless. Rickenbach achieved successful character development as Grace's rosy cheeks and blissful stamina of act one slowly decayed into the second act, portraying accurate and convincing physical characteristics of Grace's growing illness. The chemistry between Grace and her fiancée Tom (Jack David) played to a large emotional spectrum as the plot progressed, creating aspects of love, felicity, fear, and quarrel between the two lovers. As the demeanor of his jovial character diminished in the second act, David represented the terror and realness of the situation which unfolded as Grace became more and more ill with little optimism of a future. Grace's former employer, Arthur Roeder (Ryan Rickard), depicted moral conflict as he grappled between his conscience and the welfare of the company. His presence onstage was held with the poise and maturity of an esteemed businessman. Rickard thoughtfully portrayed the inner-struggle of his problematic character as Roeder attempted to believe in the self-justifications of his actions.

The simplistic set, props and lighting offered depth to the stage, and enabled actors to hold a greater focal point. Props, such as the boxes, were widely and intelligently utilized. Lighting, though dramatic shadows occasionally hid actors from audience view, was typically on cue. The green lit backdrop and glowing clock piece furthered the radioactive theme of the show. Spellbinding student-composed music (Claire Hewer and Jenny Su) added to the macabre tone of the play and made scene transitions both fluid and pleasurable. Makeup was remarkably crafted and meticulously applied, giving realistically appalling appearances of the blood, tumors, and other wounds that characters developed from radiation poisoning.

Radium Girls, a story that far exceeds a mere court case settlement and remains in relevance today, kept the audience holding their breath while radium seeped through the headlines and into the courtroom. Chantilly High school's heartrending rendition led to a gleaming performance, recounting a story for history to remember.

Alexis Apostolou
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com- CH/Lorton/Oakton

Too common is the impulsive fascination with new consumer technology, and too rare is the realization of the harmful effects of new products. Chantilly High School's production of Radium Girls presents the influential story of the U.S. Radium Corporation factory workers and their fight for justice against their employers. The show not only sets a precedent for fair treatment in the workplace but it is also pertinent to our growing consumer society.

Set in 1926 and based on true events from the early 1900s, Radium Girls follows Grace Fryer's experience with radium exposure. In the context of an industrialized America and subsequently increasing municipal issues of poverty and the exploitation of factory workers, the play hones in on Grace's story to put a personalized lens on the plight of urban workers. At the age of 15 Grace began working at the radium factory to support her family. Using what their employers guaranteed was a harmless paint, the girls were instructed to lick their paintbrushes to ensure precision. After prolonged symptoms of jaw aches and back pain, the girls began leaving the plant. Two of Grace's coworker's deaths went on record as effects of bad hygiene—there was no mention of the factory or of the paint, thanks to a system of corrupt practitioners eager for quick money. Eventually, Grace decided to fight back against the corporation for causing the death of so many young women. Sacrificing her time, relationship with her fiancé, and her mental health, Grace took the company to court, and after a grueling process, won the case.

On-stage chemistry and cohesive group work was consistent throughout a masterfully blocked performance. Ryan Rickard as Roeder displayed a spectrum of emotion from a headstrong company leader to a morally obligated man. His clean diction, impulsive emotion, and springy energy made him captivating from opening curtain to bows. Markley, played by Diego Encarnacion, exuded corporate professionalism and showed off smooth control of body movements and speech patterns. As a pair, Roeder and Markley offered archetypes of both the good hearted and the bad willed. As Grace, Mia Rickenbach began as a timid yet sprightly young woman, but Grace's illness turned her body weak and her will strong. Further, Grace's chemistry with fiancé Tom (Jack David) was believable and endearing, making their struggling relationship all the more poignant. Throughout the duration of the show, Mia Rickenbach's performance revealed more risk and increasing passion, paralleling Grace's experience. Additionally, every featured performer and dedicated ensemble member was devoted and professional. From the funky Mrs. Fryer, played by Hannah Grudi, to the sophisticated Mrs. Roeder, portrayed by Aubrey Phares, every actor and actress provided a unique presence.

To frame powerful scenes was a set of both simplicity and complexity. The backdrop modeled newspaper headlines about the Radium Girls while the foreground housed ladders, boxes, lofts, and desks, all efficiently utilized and artfully placed. Thanks to the makeup department, oozing tumors and gushing sores made for a wow-moment on stage.

Chantilly's performance of the affecting Radium Girls was whole-hearted and fresh. The story showed the physical and mental decay caused by the hardships of the urban workplace in the early twentieth century, but more importantly reminded modern audiences that not everything that glitters is gold.

Yvonne Nguyen
Hayfield Secondary School
Submitted for publication to Connection

Eerily stoic faces emerge from the darkness, hauntingly illuminated by a sickening green glow. Ghostly, detached eyes stare blankly ahead, sitting passively in front of a backdrop of shocking news headlines, outlining the sensationalized scandal of the decade. Thus begins Chantilly High School's production of Radium Girls. In a simultaneously heart wrenching and captivating performance, Chantilly High School unravels the enthralling tale of Grace Fryer, victim of radiation poisoning at the hands of the U.S. Radium Corporation. Detailing a resilient fight for justice, the U.S. Radium Corporation's attempt to suppress evidence, and the American public's demand for answers, Radium Girls by D.W. Gregory is an engrossing play based on a true story of morality and guilt.

Set in the 1920s, Radium Girls premiered in 2000 at the Playwrights Theatre. Gregory was inspired by the story of factory workers in New Jersey who sued the U.S. Radium Corporation after discovering that the paint they used to supply the military with glow in the dark watches was essentially toxic. Already exposed to the radiation poisoning, these workers developed anemia, necrosis, and bone fractures. Following the corporation's attempt to bury evidence, the factory workers took to the media, in what would become an iconic turning point for the worker's rights movement in America.

The role of the protagonist Grace Fryer was played by Mia Rickenbach. Filling an incredibly emotionally-demanding role, Rickenbach showed excellent character development throughout the show. In the climax of the play, Rickenbach delivered a haunting monologue, that would surely be remembered by all present due to the piercing quality of Rickenbach's quiet intensity.

Opposite of Rickenbach was the perceived antagonist of the play, Mr. Roeder (Ryan Rickard). Rickard's ability to highlight the humanity in his character certainly paid off and his expertise in capturing Roeder's struggle with his own morality showed theatrical maturity well beyond Rickard's years. In contrast, Diego Encarnacion's portrayal of Mr. Markley as a cold and calculating villain was also chilling. Encarnacion's body language and small mannerisms helped immensely in establishing his commanding presence on stage. From the way he buttoned his suit jacket, to the way he pulled down his cuffs, Encarnacion seemed to radiate confidence and dominate every scene that he appeared in.

Chantilly High School's greatest achievement was their ability to capture the overall atmosphere and mood of Radium Girls. From the intriguing headlines painted onto the wall, to the distressed paint on the set, the audience was immediately able to recognize the toxic nature of the environment. Furthermore, the ingenious use of crates instead of furniture provided a minimalistic feel to the show, a choice that worked well with the plot. Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of the stage was the array of cast members sitting on stage. Rather than waiting backstage when not involved in a scene, the actors sat around the stage and simply watched the action that ensued. This choice, along with the dissociated expressions on the actor's faces made for an unsettling but ultimately thrilling effect.

Overall, Chantilly High School proved able to comprehend the spirit of the play and translate that onto the stage. No weak link could be spotted, as each actor was equally committed to his role and the illuminating stage presence of the ensemble was an essential aspect of the play. Tackling mature themes, such as the poisonous effects of sickness and poverty on relationships, Chantilly High School put on a truly gripping performance, leaving the audience riveted.

Katie Wattendorf
Hayfield Secondary School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

It's an eerie green glow that penetrates the night, an omnipresent light that pierces the darkness and never goes away, a constant reminder of the mistakes of the past. Enthralling, chilling, heartbreaking, and harrowing, "Radium Girls" at Chantilly High School was a haunting production about the female factory workers of the 1920s struck with long painful illnesses from radium poisoning, awaiting justice and death alike.

"Radium Girls" by D.W. Gregory was written in 1999 but based on the true story of the early 1900s, when girls across the northeast began to drop dead from the literal decay of their jaws and bodies. The common link between the deaths? All the girls had once been employed by the US Radium Factory, painting self-luminous watches for the soldiers in WW1, and kept the brush tips sharp by licking the radium laced brushes. Little did they know the potency of the poison, even when they saw their work dresses glow in the dark on their dresser, or their hand light up as it rested on their pillowcase. Consumed by corporation, commerce, and cruelty, the leaders of the radium factory hide their secret, until the girls decide to stand up and sue before it was too late.

A glowing spectacle of a production, Chantilly's rendition of this tragic tale was speckled with talent, performance and technical skill alike. In the leading role of Grace Fryer, Mia Rickenbach shone with talent, capturing the audiences heart and carrying the show with energy and fortitude. Skillfully displaying both physical and emotional decay, Rickenbach was a force onstage, proving herself to be the standout actor of the night. Another standout included Ryan Rickard as the radium factory owner Roeder. Rickard's turmoil was apparent, as he deftly portrayed a man stuck between conscience and corporation and his own endless web of lies.

Still more acting talent appeared in the supporting roles. The highlight of the smaller parts was Diego Encarnacion as the slick and shallow lawyer Markley. Encarnacion's acting was highly nuanced, from a subtle glance of an eye to an adjustment of sleeves, he was immensely successful in displaying the ideal of necessary evil. Encarnacion's guile was complemented by Jack David's sweetness as Fryer's fiancée, Tom. David provided comedic timing and loving relief to the otherwise intense plot line.

Chantilly's acting ability was matched by their technical prowess. The back of the stage glowed a constant fluorescent green, setting the mood of the production. Stark lighting and a minimalistic set added to that mood. Unique and creative touches were apparent throughout, a glowing clock in the corner, a glowing date along the bottom of the stage, headlines plastered across the walls. The technical highlight was the makeup to display the illness, which included bleeding from the mouth, misshapen faces and blackened fingers, all effective and well-executed.

"I want them to look at me," Grace says, removing a bandage from her face, revealing the effects of radiation poisoning on both her jaw and her heart. In Chantilly's heartbreaking rendition of "Radium Girls", actors and tech grabbed the audience and never let them go, the green glow of their incredible performance stained in onlooker's minds long after the curtain went down.