Review: RADIUM GIRLS at Fargo North High School

Fargo North Theatre Presents: Radium Girls

First of all, I hope members of Fargo Public Schools read this... Let these kids do their shows more than one weekend!

OK rant done.

The play Radium Girls is inspired by a tragic true story. The story follows some of the girls who unknowingly were poisoned by Radium while working in a factory in New Jersey. I knew nothing about this story until I heard that Fargo North was putting this show on. I didn't even know there was a Netflix movie from 2018 on the subject.

There was some amazing talent on that stage and I am continually blown away by it.

First off, Gavin Nordeng as Arthur Roeder. He gets better every time I see him on stage and this was easily his best performance. I feel like I have watched him grow up on stage and it's such a joy to watch him bring this character to life. Such amazing stage presence. He has some very powerful scenes with Charlie (Beckett Schultze) and his on stage wife (Gretchen Krout). I can't wait to see him again and I do hope he continues with theatre after high school.

Natalie Syverson as Grace Fryer is another amazing performance. Her onscreen transformation from healthy to deathly ill is amazing. Natalie puts on such a beautiful performance. She has some beautiful scenes with her mother (Vivian Behm) and Kathryn (Amanda Mouche) and Irene (Betsy Murchie).

Speaking of Amanda and Betsy, these two play the other main radium girls wonderfully. Each of them brought something special to the stage and made the characters their own.

Some more great performers to mention. Ian Christeson as Tom Kreider, Andrew Christiansen as Edward Markley, Beckett Schultze as Charlie Lee, Elizabeth Gillen as Katherine Wiley & Mrs. Macneil, Jack Buckingham as Dr. Knef and I could go on and on. So much talent on that stage.

Oh, I absolutely have to mention two of the audience favorites were Wren Paul as Jack Youngwood and Abby Medler as Nancy Jane Harlan. These two got so many laughs every time they stepped onto the stage.

Shout out to Liv Helm the costume director. Such a wonderful job of capturing the look and spirit of the period.

Also the set was beautifully done. Many moving pieces and everything flowed nicely.

Tom and Rachel Gillen once again bring us an amazing show. As I mentioned earlier, I only wish we had more than one weekend to watch it.

I encourage everyone who supports local theatre to contact Fargo Public School and ask them to let these kids have more than one weekend for their performances.

*** Photo Credit to DeMarcel Photography

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