Blinn-Bryan Theatre Troupe highlights the power of female friendship with 'The Half-Life of Marie Curie'

Performances run from Feb. 27-March 2 at the Blinn-Bryan Student Center

February 13, 2025

The Blinn-Bryan Theatre Troupe (BBTT) will introduce audiences to the remarkable bond between Nobel Prize-winning chemist Marie Curie and electromechanical engineer and suffragette Hertha Ayrton when it stages Lauren Gunderson’s “The Half-Life of Marie Curie” from Feb. 27 to March 1 on the Blinn College-Bryan Campus.

“I think it’s important to showcase intimate relationships that don’t involve romance,” director and Theatre Arts Instructor Evleen Nasir said. “The deep friendship between these two brilliant minds is a connection everyone can identify with. I hope this play will remind the audience of the significance of true friendship and create a newfound appreciation for the special people in their lives.”

In 1911, Curie won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering radium and polonium. By 1912, her professional achievements imploded as she became the target of ruthless gossip over an alleged affair with a married man. Seeking solace from an unrelenting attack by the press, Curie escapes to Ayrton’s seaside retreat to weather the scandal. First performed in 2019, “The Half-Life of Marie Curie” touches on motherhood, love, professional success, and the enduring power of a deep friendship.

The play features Bryan-College Station community members as the actors in this two-person play. Cynthia Bradford, a choir and theater teacher at the International Leadership of Texas school in College Station, will play Curie. Jessica Lemmons, a copywriter and music teacher, will play Ayrton.

Production team members include Blinn students Karenza McRae, stage manager; Ashley Wienecke and Jordan Ingram, assistant stage managers; Carter Crisp, scenic design/projection; Aiden Madden, properties; David Gipson, lighting designer; Matthew Richards, costume and wardrobe supervisor; Isabel Mendez, light crew and sound design and operator; Anastasia Wall, light board operator; Joy Falkinburg, house manager; Ashley Wienecke, box office; Matthew Burhus, painting; and Madison Bailey, publicity/photography.

Performances run at the Blinn-Bryan Student Center (Building F, map ) Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 27-March 1, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 2, at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at www.blinn.edu/boxoffice.

“The Half-Life of Marie Curie” contains mature language and is suitable for ages 17 and up.

Following the opening-night performance on Thursday, Feb. 27, audience members are invited to participate in an interactive “Talk-Back” event, featuring the cast and crew.

The Troupe will conclude its season in April with the documentary theatre piece “The Laramie Project.”

To learn more about the BBTT, contact Greg Wise at [email protected]. For more information about Blinn’s Theatre Arts Program, visit www.blinn.edu/theatre.