Catherine. Charlotte. Francis. Pearl.
They are all dying, and no one seems to care.
The play “These Shining Lives” tells the heart-breaking story of these women and their experience and deaths while employees of the Radium Dial Company.
After sweeping with all ones and a load of All-Star awards at zone, the play will compete at the district competition this Thursday at the Willis ISD Performing Arts Center.
“I love UIL,” junior Emma Johnston said. “It is a really great cast, and I love working together for the same goal competitively. Getting all ones at zone is really nice. It is confirmation of what our school can do. It shows what the drama program is capable of.”
Leading the cast was junior Olivia Calvello winning Best Actor honors. This is the second year in a row Calvello has been chosen as one of two best actors at zone.
“Winning back to back best actor awards makes me proud,” she said. “I am very grateful for all the awards I have won, and I am satisfied with my accomplishments. I could not have done it without all my friends and teachers who support me.”
The actresses who play the other three women in the group of friends also were honored with All-Star cast honors. Sophomore NaLani Washington, junior Emma Johnston and senior Avalon Barretto also garnered All-Star cast honors at the zone competition.
“I was pretty excited when I heard my name called,” Washington said. “I have not gotten an award in high school UIL before, so it was really fun.”
Becoming characters from a different time and place is a challenge for all cast members. It is key for them to connect, and that takes commitment to the process.
“I researched a lot about my character, about who she was and what she did and I worked a lot with my peers,” Washington said. “You get so close to everybody, and it is really such a fun time despite all the work.”
Two more actors were honored at zone: sophomore Carter Bernard and junior Luciano Bautista.
“UIL brings the cast together, and it is a whole new experience,” Bautista said. “Being a first timer in UIL has been fun. I plan on making a career with my acting so getting a part like this made me very, very grateful to be able to work on the character.”
Bernard’s part was just one small scene, but his time on stage as a company doctor earned him an honorable mention cast award.
“It was amazing to be part of the All Star cast just being in one scene,” Bernard said. “I spent countless hours researching company doctors back in the 1900s. I did some research on that and how men treated women back then. I was so thankful to hear my name being called.”
Stage manager junior Sophia Hodnett was also recognized by the judges. Hodnett and the entire crew were honored.
“As the stage manager, I have had to have a lot of patience because drama people are very social and they like to talk,” Hodnett said. “I also have to take criticism well from the directors without getting offended.”
The cast has a plan to work hard to prepare for the next competition. The cast all share the goal of moving on past district and ultimately making it to that state competition.
“One act is different from regular theater,” Calvello said. “We are all like-minded people, and we are all there to accomplish our goal of not just having a good show but practicing the craft and understanding the craft. It is a lot more of an educational experience than regular theater because there is a very academic aspect to it that attracts a lot of people.”
