Fort Scott High School Thespians Perform \;Radium Girls
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\nInspired by the real-life story of the luminous watch dial painters of the 1920s\, \;Radium Girls \;marks the journey of three women&rsquo\;s struggle with radium poisoning and their fight for justice from the U.S. Radium Corporation.
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\nAlthough \;Radium Girls \;is historical fiction\, most of the characters were real people in history. Others are a conglomeration of various people involved in the plight of the Radium Girls.
\n&ldquo\;Students have invested a lot of time and research into their characters for this performance\,&rdquo\; said FSHS Thespian Director Angie Bin. &ldquo\;They have studied their real-life counterparts and noted character traits and personalities that make their character historically accurate.&rdquo\;
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\nThe production\, set in the 1920s\, relays how radium\, then known as a miracle cure and beauty product\, was used to create a glow in the dark paint that illuminated watches and clocks\, especially during WWI. The young women employed to paint the tiny numerals were instructed to point their brushes using their mouths. Years later\, most of the women began developing horrific health issues that were dismissed by their employers. Eventually\, several women were able to find legal defense and had their voices heard\, and radium poisoning proven. Their bravery eventually led to landmark changes in working conditions for employees.
\n&ldquo\;Called a &lsquo\;powerful&rsquo\; and &lsquo\;engrossing&rsquo\; drama by critics\, \;Radium Girls \;offers a wry\, unflinching look at the peculiarly American obsessions with health\, wealth\, and the commercialization of science\,&rdquo\; according to Dramatic Publishing.
\nThe production involves a 12-member ensemble of students who all play up to four characters each. Actors include seniors Levi Bin\, Madi Toth\, Carlee Studyvin\, Dominic Cannon\, Jo Goodbody and Wendy Monahan\; juniors Ashanti Green\, Tailynn Harding\, and Sage Hill\; sophomore Jacob Ham\; and freshmen Bareigh Farrell and Israel Carreno.
\nTickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children and available at the Fort Scott High School office and at Common Ground Coffee\, 116 S. Main. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime. The lobby will have on display a number of educational projects created by students at FSHS.
\n&ldquo\;Students in Drama classes have created the design details for the show that will be on display for the public. I am so proud of the model sets they have built with set design suggestions\, make-up and costuming sketches and research\, and the sound and lighting design suggestions they have presented\,&rdquo\; said Bin. &ldquo\;Additionally\, we have several graphic design posters that our students in Dr. Michelle Laubenstein&rsquo\;s classes created\, including the winning design created by junior Amber Russo.&rdquo\;
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