Centerville High School Theatre to present Radium Girls

© Provided by WDTN Dayton Centerville High School Theatre to present Radium Girls

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Centerville High School Theatre will present several showings of Radium Girls next week.

The play is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 26-28 in the Performing Arts Center located at 500 E. Franklin Street.

The performance on Saturday, Jan. 28 will be American Sign Language interpreted. An understudy cast performance will take place at 2 p.m. on Jan. 28.

The U.S. Radium Corp. employed hundreds of young women to paint watch dials, clocks and even instrumental panels used in military equipment during World War I, according to a release.

Their hair, skin and clothes glowed after work from the dust of their glow-in-the-dark paint, and they were local celebrities.

In the early 1920s, several employees began experiencing severe health problems, such as broken bones and decaying jaws, that they believed were caused by radium in the paint. As worker after worker died, their determination grew stronger, and they sued U.S. Radium, the release states.

Newspapers named these bold accusers "Radium Girls," and their tragedy shined light on issues of workplace safety and workers' rights. Radium Girls is based on the true story of the workers, executives, scientists and reporters who became part of history.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance online here, or at the door, with no cash sales.

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