Dordt University presents Radium Girls: a powerful story of justice and resilience

Dordt University Theatre Arts proudly presents Radium Girls as this spring’s highly anticipated mainstage production. Directed by Dr. Teresa Ter Haar, professor of theatre arts at Dordt, this compelling drama brings to life the true story of 1920s factory workers fighting for justice after being poisoned by the very work that once promised them a bright future. Featuring a powerful ensemble of actors, the production is further enhanced by an original score composed by Dordt senior Abe Hall.

Radium Girls will be performed April 2-5 at 7:30 m., with an additional 2:00 p.m. show on April 5, at the 4th Avenue Theatre on Dordt’s campus. Tickets are available for purchase at https://dordt.ticketleap.com.

What to Expect from Radium Girls

Radium Girls is based on real-life events that led to significant changes in labor laws. The production features an original score composed by Dordt senior Abe Hall, inspired by Wagner, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff, which enhances the depth of the drama. Professor Laurel Koerner’s bold scenic design, featuring a color palette of rusty oranges, deep blues, and greens, brings the story’s world to life. Mercea Rediger leads the nine-actor ensemble as Grace Fryer, a determined woman seeking justice. Though set in the 1920s, the play’s themes remain timely, touching on corporate ethics and personal integrity.

A Collaborative Student Effort

Dordt Theatre emphasizes storytelling that is both excellent and Christ-honoring. This production is a collaboration among students from various disciplines, including actors, designers, musicians, and crew members. Sophomore Mercea Rediger describes rehearsal as "an exciting process that allows us to explore different ideas until we find exactly what we want to convey."

Abe Hall, a Dordt University senior composing the production’s original score, echoes this sentiment. "I feel honored to work on this project and appreciate the trust the Theatre Department places in students’ artistic vision," he says. His compositions, inspired by Wagner, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff, aim to deepen the emotional impact of the play.

Even the makeup design plays a key role in the show’s storytelling. Marika Moore, a freshman whose work on Dordt’s recent production of Fiddler on the Roof led to this opportunity, has carefully designed makeup effects that suggest—rather than graphically depict—the impact of radium poisoning. "We want to keep it subtle—just enough to show the effects while also making it visually engaging," Moore explains.

Ter Haar envisions Radium Girls as more than just a historical drama—it’s a gripping, thought-provoking journey into themes of accountability, justice, and resilience. "At Dordt, we encourage students not only to see the world differently but to live differently," she explains. "Radium Girls presents audience members with an opportunity to see beneath the events of the story and perhaps even translate that new vision into action."

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.