www.montereycountynow.com NOVEMBER 13-19, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 31 ONSTAGE Workplace safety is the subject of Radium Girls, by contemporary playwright D.W. Gregory. And it’s a gripping tale. “It’s about a group of young women who were exploited and abused for corporate greed,” says Alicia Welch, a theater instructor at Monterey High School and Monterey Peninsula College. “They challenged all those oppressing forces and they ultimately won, although a lot of them died a horrible death. They’re responsible for our workplace safety laws that we have today enforced by OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] and thanks to their studies we understand how radiation affects the human body.” Radium Girls focuses on two stories from the early 20th century. One is of Grace Fryer, a dial painter who eventually sued U.S. Radium after suffering radium poisoning while employed painting watch faces. The character is played by Sophia Ruttschow. The second is that of the U.S. Radium president Arthur Roeder—his success and downfall. Roeder is played by Joseph Cardinale. The show is made almost exclusively by the students (53 of them; 28 in the cast). They built the set and created the costumes under the guidance of adults. It is part of the theater curriculum, but also counts as a college credit per affiliation with MPC. According to Welch, both boys and girls connected to the material. “They really, really want to do justice to the sacrifice of these women and get their message out there,” she says. Radium was discovered by PolishFrench chemist Marie SkłodowskaCurie and her husband Pierre Curie in 1898; Skłodowska-Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. The discovery opened the door to understanding radioactivity and its applications— cancer treatments, the development of luminous paints. That said, radium turned out to be extremely dangerous and can cause serious health issues. Radium Girls came on Welch’s radar a couple of years ago. “I read some reviews about the production and it sounded really interesting,” she says. “I researched a little bit about that period in history and put it on my short list for plays. I like to do plays with a feminist message.” Radium Girls can be seen 7pm Fridays and Saturdays, 2pm Sundays, Nov. 14-23. Monterey High Welch Theater, 101 Hermann Drive, Monterey. $17; $10/students. (831) 392-3801, mhsplayers.com. LOGAN MARCHESE Radiating Awareness A play at Monterey High explores a powerful feminist stand against corporate abuse. By Agata Popęda It’s the first time Monterey High School is showing Radium Girls, a 2000 play about the early 20th century that has resonated with MHS theater students. www.folktalewinery.com SATURDAY NOV 15 SHOP EVENTS HARVEST DINNER Celebrate the season with a curated, surprise-filled wine-paired dinner in a festive gathering of craftsmanship and community.
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