Theatre Canadore Opens Sixth Season with Powerful True Story of Courage and Justice
Apr 22, 2026 | Cindy Males, Public Relations and Communications Specialist
Theatre Canadore is set to launch its sixth season with an exciting theatrical performance starting on Thursday, April 23, 2026. This season’s production, Radium Girls, is drawn from the pages of history. It is set in 1917; Grace Fryer and other teenage girls are hired to paint radium-lit watch dials for soldiers in the great war. But as stability returns, a more troubling reality emerges. Painters begin to fall ill, and many die without clear explanation. In her search for answers, Grace is met with silence and denial. Undeterred, she embarks on a determined pursuit of the truth—launching a courageous fight for justice that will test her voice, her resilience and, ultimately, her life.
“It’s a little nerve-wracking portraying a real person especially because I want to do the story justice and not water down everything that she went through,” said Lacie Baxter who is cast to play Grace. “I did a lot of research about her life as well as the lives of other dial painters. I looked at what it was like being a teenager/young woman in that time and compared it to now, 100 years later. All the differences and similarities really put everything into perspective. It helped me understand her so that I can better share her story.”
“Audiences can expect to see a true story about a woman who fights against the harsh injustices that she herself and many women like her have endured at the hands of male corporate greed. As well as the power of media and money and the influence it has on society,” said Baxter.
Formerly known as Rep 21, Canadore College’s acting company was officially rebranded as Theatre Canadore in 2021 to reflect the program’s expanded focus on both stage and screen performance, including film-acting techniques.
The Acting for Stage and Screen program is designed to prepare aspiring performers with the essential tools, technical skills, and professional standards required to succeed in the competitive fields of theatre, film, and television. This comprehensive three-year program integrates theoretical instruction with hands-on training, equipping students with a strong foundation and the versatility needed to pursue careers across multiple sectors of today’s evolving entertainment industry.
Written by D.W. Gregory, Radium Girls offers a compelling examination of the commercialization of science and the complex intersection of public health and profit. The play highlights the resilience of ordinary individuals in the face of systemic inequality, while shedding light on the historical injustices endured by American workers—issues that continue to resonate in contemporary labour conversations.
“Not only do I hope that people who watch the show now understand the historical significance and the direct impact that these people have made on our lives,” said Baxter. “I also hope that they come out of the show with more confidence to think for themselves about the things we do, continue to question the “why” in our own lives, and fight for injustices even when it’s hard, or you’re the only one, because that’s how we make change.
The three-night run begins on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. on the David Fox Stage in the Canadore College Theatre (G107). General admission is $20. Further details about the production and the Acting for Stage and Screen program are available here.
Content warnings include death and illness, dated views of women, loud noises and flashing lights.
Recommended for mature audiences.
DISCLAIMER: Viewer discretion is advised. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Canadore College, its partners, or affiliates.
#Acting For Stage And Screen #College Drive #Theatre #Theatre Canadore