ATHENS, W.Va. (WVDN) — Approximately two dozen Concord University students have spent months preparing to bring Radium Girls to the Black Box Theater this November. Performances will take place November 12–15, 2026.
Based on a true story, Radium Girls follows young women who became seriously ill after painting watch dials with radium-based paint. When their employer refused to accept responsibility, they fought to be heard and to hold the company accountable. Their fight helped bring national attention to the dangers workers faced and the need for stronger protections.
The story is nearly a century old, but its questions are still familiar. Workers still face pressure to stay quiet. Companies still face questions about what they owe the people who work for them. And people who speak out often risk their jobs, reputations and livelihoods. Radium Girls puts those struggles in human terms, showing what it costs to fight back and why it matters.
“One of the most exciting parts of the production has been seeing who has come together to make it happen,” Director Jason Lockart said. “The cast, crew and creative team include roughly two dozen CU students, from theatre majors to student-athletes to students giving
theatre a try for the first time. Over months of work, they have learned new skills, formed friendships, and taken on the challenges of putting a show on its feet together.”
Lockart added the production combines demanding performances with an inventive stage design that gives students room to try new ideas and explore what is possible in live theatre. The work extends well beyond rehearsing lines. Students have helped build the
production from the ground up, putting in long hours onstage and behind the scenes to bring this story to an audience.
Performances are open to the public and will take place in Concord University’s Black Box Theater, located inside the Alexander Fine Arts Center in Athens:
- Thursday, November 12, at 7 p.m.
- Friday, November 13, at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, November 14, at 7 p.m.
- Sunday, November 15, at 2 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased at our.show/curadium.
Media Contact and Interview Opportunities
Media are welcome to arrange rehearsal visits and interviews with the cast, crew and creative team. Rehearsals begin at 5 p.m. each evening next week, beginning Monday, November 2. Daytime student interviews may also be arranged through director Jason Lockart.
For more information or to schedule a visit or interview, contact Jason Lockart at jlockart@concord.edu or 304-575-5222.
