A new musical about the young women who painted glowing watch dials in 1920s New Jersey gets its world premiere next spring. The Radium Girls runs at Southwark Playhouse Borough from 20 March to 8 May 2027, directed by Marissa Jaret Winokur.
The Radium Girls will have its world premiere at Southwark Playhouse Borough, running in The Large from 20 March to 8 May 2027. Tickets are on sale now, and the opening performance on 20 March is a Pioneers’ Preview priced at £10.
The musical is directed by Marissa Jaret Winokur, who won the 2003 Tony Award for her performance in Hairspray on Broadway. It is presented by High Octave Productions.
Three writers share the credit. Amanda D’Archangelis wrote the music and part of the book. Sami Horneff and Lisa Mongillo wrote the lyrics and share the book with her.
It is set in 1920s New Jersey, where Olive, Helen and Frances take factory work at the United States Radium Corporation, painting luminous watch dials. The pay is better than anything else going and the job carries a certain glamour. Then the workers begin falling ill, and Olive starts to suspect the element she handles every day. Southwark Playhouse describes the piece as a darkly comic, horror-infused musical about friendship, ambition and corporate greed.
Chadd McMillan is associate director and Rebecca Reaney choreographs. RJG Productions is executive producer, with Hannah Farley-Hills for HFH Productions as general manager.
Performances run Monday to Saturday at 7pm, with 2.30pm matinees on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and the running time is around two hours 30 minutes including an interval. Standard tickets are £28, concessions £22.50 and previews £16, with no booking fee to pay. A captioned performance is scheduled for Wednesday 21 April at 7pm.
The production carries content guidance for strong language, blood, depictions of illness, and references to violence and death, and it uses flashing lights. It is recommended for ages 14 and over.
