Adelphi University Theatre Presents the Riveting Drama These Shining Lives Starting October 1

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - Sept. 23, 2013 - PRLog -- Adelphi University’s Department of Theatre presents These Shining Lives, Melanie Marnich’s drama inspired by the true story of the women who worked at Illinois’ Radium Dial Company in the 1920s. As Catherine Donohue and her three friends—Charlotte, Pearl and Frances—are victimized by their employers, they rise up to become heroes and change labor laws for all generations to come. The show, directed by Janice L. Goldberg, runs from October 1 through October 6, 2013, in Adelphi University’s Performing Arts Center (AUPAC), Black Box Theatre, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, NY.

More than 1,000 women worked at the Radium Dial Factory and painted glow-in-the-dark numbers on the faces of clocks and watches. Over time, many fall ill. The source is radioactive paint. Catherine and her friends seek retribution in the form of a class-action lawsuit against Radium Dial Company. They refuse to allow the company that stole their health to kill their spirits—or endanger the lives of those who come after them. This is a story that resonates as deeply today as factory tragedies and workplace safety violations continue to make news headlines.

The Cast:

Jacky Bernhard ’16 (Charlotte, Reporter 1) from Massapequa, NY is a sophomore acting major in her first main stage production. Her previous roles include freshman workshop, The White Devil (Cornelia ), as well as her work in student directing scenes such as Bryony Lavery’s Frozen (Ralph). Jacky is also a writer and musician who sings and performs solo and in bands. She is proud to be a student in the Adelphi Honors College.

Linda Demirdjian ’15 (Pearl, Daughter, Judge) is a junior transfer student from Queens, NY. Her film and television credits include Law and Order: SVU, Orange is the New Black, White Collar, Blue Bloods, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Other credits include Bye Bye

Birdie (Alice), Hairspray (U/S Amber), Anonymous (Nasreen /Belen), To Kill a Mockingbird (Mayella), Jump for Aid (Student 6/Student 7).

Rachael Feldman ’15 (Catherine) is a junior acting major hailing from scenic Framingham, MA. Recent credits include: Spelling Bee (Rona Lisa Peretti), The Who’s Tommy (dancer/various roles) and Imagine Oz (Toto).

Morgan Moffitt ’16 (Francis, Reporter 2, Official) is a sophomore acting major. She began acting and working in the theatre in her

hometown of Garland, Texas and is very excited to be cast in These Shining Lives.

Paul Passaro ’14 (Musician) is a senior design/ technology major from New York. His interests include lighting, sound, and carpentry. He has been assistant technical director (All In The Timing), sound designer (White Devil) and assistant light designer (Who Will Carry The Word) here at Adelphi. In addition to his Adelphi credits, he worked at URJ Camp Harlam as the sound and lights designer, and technical director. He designed Willy Wonka and a series of variety shows while there.

Leore Riven ’15 (Mr. Reed, Company Doctor, Son, Leonard Grossman) is a junior from Queens, NY. Adelphi credits include Good Person of Szechwan (Old Man), Breaking the Silence (Big John) and Imagine Oz (Ensemble).

Timothy Simpson ’15 (Tom, Dr. Rowntree, Dr. Dalitsch) is a junior acting major originally from Glen Rock,NJ. His credits include Murder By Midnight (Dick Piston), The Modern Prometheus (The Creature), Arsenic and Old Lace (Mr. Gibbs/Lt. Rooney), Gollum Cycle (Deagol), The Basset Table (Male Chorus) and The Brother’s Grimm Spectaculation (various characters).

Adelphi University’s Performing Arts Center is Long Island’s premier cultural arts venue for entertainment of all kinds. Tickets for These Shining Lives are on sale now and are priced at $20.00 each. For more information about all the events at AUPAC and to purchase tickets, visit aupac.adelphi.edu. Information is available at The Lucia and Steven N. Fischer Box Office at (516) 877-4000 or boxoffice@adelphi.edu. Regular box office hours are Tuesday through Friday, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. The box office is also open two hours before most scheduled performances.

About Adelphi University: Adelphi is a world-class, modern university with excellent and highly relevant programs where students prepare for lives of active citizenship and professional careers. Through its schools and programs—College of Arts and Sciences (http://academics.adelphi.edu/artsci/), Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies (http://derner.adelphi.edu/), Honors College (http://academics.adelphi.edu/honors-college/), Robert B. Willumstad School of Business (http://business.adelphi.edu/), Ruth S. Ammon School of Education (http://education.adelphi.edu/), University College (http://university-college.adelphi.edu/), College of Nursing and Public Health (http://nursing.adelphi.edu/) and the School of Social Work (http://socialwork.adelphi.edu/)—the coeducational university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as professional and educational programs for adults. Adelphi University currently enrolls nearly 8,000 students from 43 states and 45 foreign countries. With its main campus in Garden City and its centers in Manhattan (http://manhattan.adelphi.edu/), Suffolk County (http://suffolk.adelphi.edu/), and Poughkeepsie (http://hudson-valley.adelphi.edu/), the University, chartered in 1896, maintains a commitment to liberal studies, in tandem with rigorous professional preparation and active citizenship.