Hays High School will present “Rosie the Riveter,” a two-act play by Trey Clarkson and published by Eldridge Publishing.
Scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 13 and 14 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 15, the play focuses on the millions of women who entered the workforce during World War II. General admission tickets are $8 and are available at http://hayshighschool.ludus.com/ or at the door.
“The idea to do the play came after a Wichita, Kansas, ‘Rosie’ (Connie Palacioz) died in April 2026 at the age of 101,” said director Bill Gasper. “She drove rivets into B-29 bombers at the Boeing plant, and her death once again refocused attention on the important contributions of women during World War II and the subsequent cultural shift that redefined women’s roles in the American workforce.”
Gasper said the play takes place from January 1942 until June 1944. Eddie Kendrick, the owner of Eddie’s Auto Parts Factory in Cook County, Illinois, is struggling to make ends meet because of a manufacturing freeze on car parts. His secretary, Rosie, wonders whether the factory can secure a government contract and convert to making airplane components. After recruiting women from the Chicago area to work in the plant, the operation becomes successful, and Rosie becomes the iconic image that inspires millions of women.
“Although the play is a work of fiction, it nevertheless highlights the impact of women during a time when it was necessary to mobilize the entire population,” Gasper said. “Because of labor shortages, the government launched a campaign to lure more women into the workforce. They promoted the character of ‘Rosie the Riveter’ as the ideal woman worker. As a result, the term ‘Rosie’ was applied to all the women who entered the workforce during that time.
Gasper said the true identity of the real Rosie the Riveter was debated for many years until 2016, when a woman named Naomi Parker Fraley was reported to be the true inspiration behind the iconic image.
“The story behind the icon is very detailed, so it was difficult for the playwright to capture all those complexities,” Gasper said. “However, the play does a good job providing historical information about factory work, the challenges faced by those women who stayed at home to manage households, and the impact of rationing. It also has some lighthearted moments and features some vocal numbers from the period. But with war, there is loss, and thus it has some sad moments as the women mourn the death of loved ones.”
Gasper said 26 students appear on stage, with another nine working behind the scenes.
“We have a very talented cast and crew, and I’m excited to present it to the public,” Gasper said. “I think it’s important to occasionally refocus attention on the historical significance and cultural impact of this period in U.S. history.”