As the school year nears its end, OHS proudly performed its last play entitled Radium Girls, which tells the story of female factory workers in the early 20th century who painted luminous dials on watches and clocks using paint that contained radium. Radium is a radioactive element, and the girls faced serious health issues as a result of their exposure to it.
The OHS theater department once again has chosen a play to entrance audiences. Radium Girls will open on April 10th and continue until April 12th. The crew has added a flourish to the play, making it one not to miss. They are planning to include special effects and costumes set in the 1920s. The OHS cast is thrilled to see their roles played out during the show. Many people dedicate countless hours to understanding and memorizing their characters.
“Grace’s [The character I play] resilience through the entire thing or how all of the characters interact with each other [is my favorite],” said Mandy Hoglund, sophomore.
Many theater students have found an outlet for their love of acting. The choice to pick one’s character inspires the students to get involved and dedicate themselves to the role.
“Every day I go into rehearsal and I feel happy to be there,” said Diego Arevalo, sophomore.
The community that the students have built in the theater program is unbreakable. Many look forward to rehearsing and performing with their friends.
“There’s a scene where I’m arguing with the other lawyer; it’s fun to do,” said Jonah Schule-Cuadra, senior.
For many, one of the best parts of theater is seeing their hard work pay off. The transformation from rehearsing to seeing their character come to life on the stage is the most rewarding part.
“We have two different casts, so in rehearsal, we switch off,” said Sophia Sampley, sophomore. “It’s fun seeing what your double in the other cast is doing.”
The process of learning the ins and outs of their character with their doubles provides cast members with a valuable learning and team-building experience. In the play, students have counterparts in the other cast, and not every play provides them the opportunity to learn techniques or character traits from their counterparts. Hopefully, experiences like these will be helpful for the students in the long run.
“This is my first show. I like getting to see everyone shine on stage,” Sampley said.
