BNHS Theater Department brings history to life

By Anne Eickstadt

REPORTER

On Friday, Jan. 20 through Sunday, Jan. 22, Belvidere North High School will present the comedy/drama stage play, Radium Girls at the Belvidere Performing Arts Center, located at BHS at 1500 East Ave. in Belvidere.

“In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie an international celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court. As the case goes on, however, Grace finds herself battling not just with the U.S. Radium Corporation, but with her own family and friends, who fear that her campaign for justice will backfire​,” the synopsis for the play reads.

Lisa Pilkinton plays the role of Grace Fryer.

“Grace has always been someone who does what is right. She has never questioned things but does what she needs to do,” Pilkinton said. “Throughout the show, she slowly goes from being an innocent and happy 15-year-old girl to growing older and realizing she is sick and will not live very long. She becomes a strong, independent woman who stands up for herself and her friends.”

As a young actress, Pilkinton wants to do her character justice.

“Being an actor and playing a fictional character is one thing, but playing a real person – there’s a weight on your shoulders to get it right and tell the story as it should be told. It takes things to another level. The story is extraordinary. There is no way I can put it into words. Playing a person like this changes you too. I feel emotionally attached to them. This show is like nothing I have ever experienced. I look forward to experiencing it with an audience.”

Seth Lambright plays Arthur Roeder, Grace’s employer.

“Arthur Roeder is the president of the luminous dial painting company,” Lambright said. “At first, he wants what is best for the company – making money – but when tragedy strikes close to home, he starts to change and see more of human values. His story is moral change. He can be seen as a villain, but I urge people who come to the play to see how he changes and what he will become.”

Some of the young actors take on multiple roles in the play.

“I play three characters,” Tommy Karl said. “One of them is the scientist who makes the paint for the radium dials. I also play a newspaper photographer and a lawyer who is trying to protect the company. I like the play. It is cool that the play is based on real life. I can look up my character and find that he died at the age of 40.”

BNHS Theater Director Wendy Taylor chose this production to not only help inspire her young, aspiring actors and actresses, but also to “empower” the young women in the community.

“This is my season of empowering young women,” Taylor said. “So, the plays I picked are about strong women. Radium Girls is about girls fighting the system. The show is set almost exactly 100 years ago and nothing has changed, many situations are the same. There are salacious reporters; big business is worried more about profits than people; doctors are willing to follow the money. In this play, radiation is good and healthy and science will follow whatever people want. The kids are doing a wonderful job. The characters are amazing.”

Performances of Radium Girls will be on Friday, Jan. 20 and Saturday Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m.

For more information, call (815) 544-2636.