The Wake Forest University Theatre will open its season with These Shining Lives by Melanie Marnich, which will be directed by Professor of Theatre Dr. Cindy Gendrich. In the 1920s and 30s, "girls who wanted to work" could get good-paying jobs painting the radium dials on watch- and clock-faces. Part fairy-tale, part tragedy, These Shining Lives chronicles the stories of these "radium girls," and their life-changing friendships. A luminous play about curiosity, greed, heroism, health, time, money, and hope.

Performances are Sept. 19-20 and 25-28 at 7:30 PM and Sept. 21 & 28 at 2:00 PMin the Mainstage Theatre of the Scales Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $15 adults, $12 senior citizens, and $7 students (price includes sales tax). Season passes are also available. There are a number of discussion events related to the show planned.

Sept. 17, 4-5 pm at the Women's Center. Women's Center discussion. Molly Dunn ('14), Administrative Assistant for IPLACe, will be leading the weekly "Water Cooler" conversation about female friendship.

Sept. 18, 12-1 (location TBA). Brown bag lunch on the play and friendship.

Sept. 19, post-performance in the Mainstage Theatre. Discussion with Jonathan Cardi, Professor of Law; Mike Green, Distinguished Chair of Law; and Tina Marsh Dalton, Assistant Professor of Economics along wit h moderator/director Dr. Cindy Gendrich, Professor of Theatre and Director of IPLACe about the Radium Girls, Tort Law and Economics

Sept. 21, post-performance in the Mainstage Thetare. Discussion with Lindsey and Jeff Sachs on medicine and These Shining Lives. Sept. 25, post-performance in the Mainstage Theatre.

Discussion with Wanda Balzano, Director and Associate Professor of Women's and Gender Studies; and Simone Caron, Chair and Associate Professor of History on women's work history and changing gender roles.