The Radium Girls: A Jaw-Dropping New Musical is a female-driven, horror-infused dark comedy inspired by the stories and spirits of the young women who worked on the factory line at the U.S. Radium Corporation in the early 20th century.
A work of historical fiction, this gravely funny and implausibly tragic tale follows three 15-year-old girls who come to the factory in search of a better life, discover the evil lurking under the glittering surface of the radium craze, and aim to give the men in charge a taste of their own poison – literally.
The show features music by Amanda D’Archangelis; lyrics by Sami Horneff and Lisa Mongillo; and a book by D’Archangelis, Horneff, and Mongillo.
“The score and book reminded me why theater is my first true love! It's my favorite kind of comedy, it's dark and smart.”
— Tony winner Marissa Jaret Winokur, BroadwayWorld
The Radium Girls: A Jaw-Dropping New Musical was conceived by the writers Amanda D’Archangelis (music & book), Sami Horneff (lyrics & book), and Lisa Mongillo (lyrics & book) in the summer of 2017 after the three met in the first year of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. When they read about the horrifying, tragic, and powerful history of the radium girls, they immediately came together with the goal of telling this story in a new way through dark musical comedy.
2017
The show was first developed as a 15-minute piece to run at the Players Theatre’s BOO! Short Play Festival in October 2017 in Greenwich Village, where it won Audience Favorite.
2018 – 2019
The writers expanded the piece into a full-length musical.
The show was a semi-finalist for the Eugene O’Neill Center’s National Musical Theatre Conference.
2020 – 2021
The show was presented at a private table read in January 2020 in New York.
The show was selected to be workshopped and presented in Western Connecticut State University’s New Works New Voices initiative in fall semester 2020. This production was selected to be presented at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (Region 1) and subsequently chosen to stream at KCACTF’s 2021 National Festival, where it won five honors.
Songs from the show were performed in concert at the Green Room 42 in NYC in September 2021.
2022
The show was chosen as a finalist for the NAMT Festival of New Musicals, placing in the top 20 out of 480 submissions.
The show was selected as a finalist for the Syracuse University New Works New Voices initiative.
2023
The show was presented at a private table read in April 2023 in New York.
The show received an industry reading in October 2023 at The Duke on 42nd Street, directed by Tony winner Marissa Jaret Winokur and starring Olivier Award winner and Tony nominee Andy Karl (Groundhog Day, Rocky); Tony and Grammy nominee Orfeh (Pretty Woman, Legally Blonde); Ashley Argota Torres (“All American,” “The Fosters”); and more. It featured arrangements by Jonathan Bauerfeld, music direction by Justin P. Cowan, and assistant direction by Chadd McMillan. It was presented by David Treatman Creative and High Octave Productions.
Highlights from the show were presented by Latiné Musical Theatre Lab at their October 2023 Annual Benefit and their November 2023 4xLatiné showcase.
2024
Two songs from the show were featured on Playbill’s Songwriter Series in February 2024.
The show’s closing number was performed by students of Christopher Newport University’s New Musicals Lab at Feinstein’s/54 Below in March 2024.
I’M YOUR MAN
Performed by Jordan Donica, Paige McNamara, Mackenzie Lesser-Roy, Alexis Reda, Amanda D’Archangelis, Mary Malaney, and Alexis Floyd
Music by Amanda D’Archangelis
Lyrics by Sami Horneff & Lisa Mongillo
MY DEAD MOM
Performed by Katie Emerson
Music by Amanda D’Archangelis
Lyrics by Sami Horneff & Lisa Mongillo
GLOW
&
START A FIRE
Performed by Cara Rose DiPietro, Katie Emerson, Francesca Ferrari & Keirsten Hodgens
Filmed for the Playbill Songwriters Series
Music by Amanda D’Archangelis
Lyrics by Sami Horneff & Lisa Mongillo