Audition Information for Radium Girls

Please read ALL of the below information about auditions for our 2022 fall play, Radium Girls by D.W. Gregory. If you have any questions or would like to access a copy of the script to read in advance, please email Mr. Backes at tbackes@sdsm.k12.wi.us.

HERE IS A LINK TO AUDITION MATERIALS 

HERE IS A LINK TO THE APPLICATION FOR ALL CAST AND CREW

Materials and applications will also be available in Mr. Backes’s classroom, room 2225.

Audition date: Monday, September 12

Time: 3:10 p.m.

Location: South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center (PAC)

Casting information:

We are seeking students of all experience levels to cover more than 30 roles, from tiny to large.

Casting for this production will be unique, as all but two actors will be playing multiple roles throughout the course of the production. We anticipate a cast of approximately 12 for this show, but there is some room for flexibility.

Those two aforementioned roles are:

  • Grace Fryer, F: A lively and ambitious young woman who finds unexpected fortitude and wisdom through adversity. A Joan of Arc of the factory workers and the primary protagonist of the play. Age 15-26 throughout the show.
  • Arthur Roeder, M: President of US Radium, a dedicated company man, who slowly comes to realize his vaunted product his poisoning his workers and attempts to escape liability. He eventually becomes a moral champion in defiance of his colleagues–but too late. The primary antagonist of the play. Ages 35-65 throughout the show.

There are many other roles of varying sizes. All actors cast will have a chance to be featured well on stage throughout the production. Roles include:

  • The factory girls: The girls who worked alongside Grace in the factory, each of whom fell ill one by one due to radium exposure. Includes Kathryn and Irene.
  • The factory men: The men of U.S. Radium who attempt to conceal the truth behind the girls’ illnesses. These include Charlie Lee, Von Sochocky and others.
  • The attorneys: The legal advocates for both the prosecution and defense. These include Berry, Markley and Wiley.
  • The relatives: People related to those who work in the factory. These include Tom (Grace’s fiance), Mrs. Fryer and Mrs. Roeder.
  • The reporters: Frequent appearances occur by a reporter and a Sob Sister, who cover the action.
  • Other characters: Various doctors, townspeople, legal advocates, and even Madame Curie all make appearances throughout the play.

Audition process:

Each student auditioning must pick one of the audition sides provided in the above link. While memorization is not required, it certainly cannot hurt.

Students will be seen one by one individually to perform their auditions. The cast list will go up on the SMHS theatre website (www.smhstheatre.org) and Instagram (@smhs.theatre) later in the evening on Monday, September 12.