The stage will glow with talent on November 14, 15, and 16, when the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Drama Club performs its fall play, “Radium Girls.”
During World War I, numerous factories were set up throughout the United States to manufacture watches coated with radium, a radioactive substance that emits a luminous glow. Working in these factories were young women who were looking to make money but ended up putting their lives at risk due to irresponsible factory practices. “Radium Girls,” a historical drama, tells the story of these brave women and highlights the injustices they faced in the early to mid-1900s.
Benjamin Lesh, English teacher and director of the show, chose “Radium Girls” as the fall play due to its “emotional, powerful, and important” story. Lesh has an incredibly impressive track record at BBHHS; he’s directed highly successful shows like “Mean Girls,” “SIX,” and “Clue.” As he prepares for “Radium Girls,” audiences can expect a play filled with intricate storytelling and unforgettable characters. When deciding what shows to perform, Lesh says, “These are just new experiences for both the actor and the audience, and I’m happy that we have the ability to give them access to such things.” Through “Radium Girls,” Lesh continues his commitment to inspiring young actors, entertaining audiences, and furthering the work of BBHHS’s drama program.
Ryan Stewart, a talented senior actor, is playing Tom Kreider in BBHHS’s production of “Radium Girls.” Stewart says that Tom is “the closest thing to comedic relief in an otherwise emotionally taxing play.” One of Stewart’s favorite parts about being involved in the school play is watching the show start from nothing and turn into a full-fledged production. Stewart’s past acting credits include last year’s fall play, “Clue,” and last year’s spring musical, “Chicago,” both of which lean in a comedic direction. “Radium Girls” will be something new for Stewart due to the play’s heavy subject matter and emotionally charged script.
Something interesting about this play, in particular, is that it’s an arena show, which means that the audience members will be sitting on stage with the actors while they are performing. Stewart says this will be “a completely unique experience and unlike anything I’ve [Stewart] done before.”
Amelie Russo, an immensely gifted senior actress, is playing Kathryn Schaub in “Radium Girls.” Kathryn Schaub is one of the girls who works in the watch factory, and Russo says, “I wanted to play her because I feel like her character really stands up for her friends and wants to fight for what’s right, and that’s really important to me.” Russo’s favorite thing about being involved in the drama club is the people. She is grateful for her castmates, saying, “Everyone is so supportive and friendly, and you can really tell everyone wants to be involved.”
With this being her first fall play, Russo has relied on inspiration from her fellow actors to fuel her performance. She mentions Jackson Nicholas, junior, and Ryan Stewart, senior, as two people she enjoys working beside due to their support and talent. One of Russo’s goals for this play is to enjoy herself and put on a show that everyone enjoys. She is interested in creating a positive space where everyone feels comfortable and excited to be part of the team.
Jimmy Schneider, an experienced and skilled senior actor, is playing Edward Markley, the US Radium Corporation lawyer who defends their wrongdoing. An interesting aspect of Schneider’s role is his relationship with the audience. Schneider finds that “one of the most challenging parts of my role is that I am supposed to be hated by the audience by the end of the play, but not because I am mean, but because I’m a good lawyer.” This will be Schneider’s first time in a villain role, and one of his goals for this play is to show his evil side.
The students in BBHHS’s drama department are constantly tasked with exploring different kinds of characters and filling contrasting roles each season. They do this by utilizing their extensive talent as well as relying on the costume department to make them look and feel like their characters.
Dr. Deanna Jordan, director of costuming for the BBH drama department, excels at making sure our actors always look their best on stage. Her job goes far beyond just picking outfits; Jordan does extensive research on the time period and the play itself in order to make the costumes look as authentic as possible. Jordan takes things like social class, aging, time period, and much more into consideration when costuming this period piece.
As previously mentioned, the play is in an arena format, which means the audience will be on stage with the actors. This tasks Jordan with making all costumes and props as historically accurate as possible, given the audience’s proximity. To achieve this, Jordan references actual studies and archival records of the Radium Girls’ case from 1928.
“Radium Girls” will be coming to BBHHS on November 14, 15, and 16. Be sure to get tickets and support our brilliant drama club!
