ACGC Drama Department Presents “The Frozen Standoff” This Thursday

The Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City Drama Dept. is producing an original one-act play, “The Frozen Standoff,” this Thursday at 7 p.m. at the ACGC Theatre in Grove City. It was written and directed by ACGC Theatre Director Thomas Dougherty-Rosengren. Tickets are $5.

The 35-minute play is based on the real-life events of the Willmar 8, a group of women who made history by standing up for workplace equality. Their fight against gender discrimination mirrors Rosengren’s own advocacy as an educator and union leader. As vice president of ACGC’s local teachers’ union, a board member of the Central Lakes United Union, and co-chair of Minnesota’s LGBTQAI+ Educators Affinity Group, strives to inspire his students to stand up for their beliefs with authenticity and courage.

The Frozen Standoff was developed through extensive research, including archival newspaper articles, the 1981 documentary “The Willmar 8,” and the television film “A Matter of Sex.” Dougherty-Rosengren has also reached out to surviving members of the Willmar 8, and he hopes they will visit ACGC on January 16 to share their experiences with students in several social studies classes. The evening performance on Thursday will also feature a Q&A session if the Willmar 8 members are able to attend, providing a rare opportunity for the community to engage directly with history-makers.

This special event will engage students in courses like Local History, Global Studies, Economics, American Government, and U.S. History, enriching their understanding of this historic struggle for equality.

Following its community premiere, “The Frozen Standoff” will compete at Dassel-Cokato High School on January 24th representing ACGC Theatre in the one-act play competition. The top two one-act plays from that competition will go on to the state level.