“Radium Girls,” by D.W. Gregory has become one of the most produced plays worldwide. Set in 1926 and inspired by a true story, the play chronicles the efforts of Grace Fryer to hold her employer accountable for poisoning her and dozens of her co-workers with radium. The sound design leans heavily in the metaphor of ticking clocks, recalling the glowing dials painted by these entirely innocent victims. They also represent the relentless passage of time, as the girls fight against disease, against the company, and against the injustice and malfeasance of the U.S. Radium Corporation. While the overall tone of the play is serious, melancholy and even dark, there are moments where a sense of optimism shines through. These scenes are reinforced with musical transitions reflecting changes in mood through the play. The design primarily uses solo piano, a more spartan sound that is able to match the tone of particular scenes. The only orchestral arrangement was reserved for the opening and closing sequences, carefully timed and edited to exactly match the dialog. Since the original production in 2023, this design has been used in more than 50 productions in educational and community theaters across the United States.