Auditions for "Radium Girls" at SCT

In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie a celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage—until the girls who painted them began to get mysteriously sick. Inspired by the true story of a woman fighting for her day in court against her former boss, an idealist who can’t believe the same element that shrinks tumors has anything to do with the terrifying rash of illness among his employees, this is a wry, unflinching look at obsessions with health, wealth, and the commercialization of science.

"Radium Girls" will have 7 performances November 13 through November 19, 2025. The director is Sara Wade, assisted by Bradley Long.

Auditions will take place upstairs at the Playhouse on Main on Sunday, September 7 starting at 6:30 p.m. and again on Monday, September 8 starting at 6:30 p.m.

Auditions will consist of scene readings from the script. A perusal copy of a script is available by request if you send an email to Z2FiZSAhIHNtaXRoICEgd3JpdGVzIHwgZ21haWwgISBjb20=.

Rehearsals may start as soon as the weekend after auditions, with regular rehearsals through October and leading into the show dates in November.

For questions about auditions, scheduling, or the show itself, reach out to the director at c2FyYSAhIHRob21wc29uICEgd2FkZSB8IGdtYWlsICEgY29t.


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AVAILABLE ROLES:

GRACE FRYER (Lead role)
Always concerned with doing what’s right, Grace is vulnerable and human, but also possesses great strength. At the start of the play, she believes in the essential goodness of science, but she eventually struggles with her perception of what goodness is as she suffers through illness inflicted by the radium paint she worked with at her factory job. Once awakened to injustice, she stoically fights for those who have been wronged.

ARTHUR ROEDER (Lead role)
Becomes president of the U.S. Radium Corporation, expanding the company mandate beyond dial painting to more medical pursuits. An ambitious and successful businessman, a loving husband and father, who believes despite mounting evidence that he is doing the right thing for his company, his employees, and his shareholders. Intelligent, decisive, innovative, and blind to the irreparable damage he has done until it is far too late.

TOM KREIDER (and other supporting characters)
Tom is Grace's boyfriend, several years older than her - supportive but willing to challenge, dedicated, and honest. The same performer may also play additional supporting roles, like a reporter, an attorney, and a dentist.

KATHRYN SCHAUB (and other supporting characters)
Kathryn is Grace's friend and coworker, another dial painter, who becomes her partner in battle as they stand up against their former employer. The same performer may also play additional supporting roles, like a board member, a society woman, a shopgirl, and Roeder's daughter Harriet (at age 30).

HARRIET ROEDER
Young daughter of the Roeders. Small supporting role for a younger girl, ideally around age 12.

ENSEMBLE MEN
2-3 Roles Available, portraying multiple supporting characters each, from company men to scientists to attorneys to doctors to reporters and more.

ENSEMBLE WOMEN
3 Roles Available, portraying multiple supporting characters each, from factory staff to work advocates to family members of the lead characters to scientists to reporters and more.


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"Radium Girls" is produced by special arrangement with THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY of Woodstock, Illinois.

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