On opening night, we arrived at Little Theatre of Norfolk to see Radium Girls. As a radiation control worker myself, this play hit especially hard and LTN did an incredible job of driving home this moving story. The play opens with Grace Fryer, Kathryn, and Irene working at the US Radium Corporation as dial painters. Ash O’Leary, Corey Jay Hinson, and Salem Rogers did a phenomenal job of portraying these young women who were grievously injured by their daily work with radium. Starting at the first scene, these actors establish strong characters who you can’t help but be devastated for as their radiation exposure injures them. Throughout, O’Leary gives a heartfelt performance; the argument she has with her mother in Act II will stick with you. Bring tissues with you – you’ll need them, especially as you watch Hinson’s Kathryn go from bubbly and fun young woman to firebrand, ready to take on the corporation she worked for (inspiring O’Leary’s Fryer along the way), to slowly (and then quickly) succumbing to the radiation poisoning she’s been exposed to.

Drew Cannady, portraying Arthur Roeder, sells the businessman whose business practices have obviously caused great harm but who cannot come to terms with being anything other than a good person and a good businessman. Samantha Notti plays well as Diane Roeder opposite of Drew Cannady. Their interactions as husband and wife give great insight in between their words of how those in power abdicate their authority in times of trouble.

While overall a very harrowing play, Lynn Rollins and Joe White provide bits of levity as reporters giving updates on the case. The cast handled this subject material with sensitivity and grace.

The creative team helped create the overall success of the play. Director Kelly Gilliam and Set Designer Terry S. Flint did a good job of staging this play, which often moves between vignettes with different scenery needs. I especially appreciated the costuming done by Kathy Hinson. These period looks helped ground the audience in the 1920s.

LTN did a wonderful job of presenting Radium Girls. While a play highlighting the importance of occupational safety could be dry, the cast and crew of LTN made this a story that will stick in your hearts and minds for a long time to come.