Please join us for a staged reading of In Equal Measure, a play about a father grappling with his son’s death at the hands of police and the emotional and moral fallout when accountability does not come. The reading will be followed by a facilitated communal discussion with invited panelists, focused on the themes of the play and their resonance in the current social and political climate.

Content Advisory:

This staged reading includes references to police violence, racial injustice, and traumatic loss. Although minimally staged, the material contains emotionally intense content that may be distressing for some viewers.

Synopsis:

In Equal Measure is more than a visceral thriller; it is a mirror held up to a fractured society. When a law-abiding Black teenager is killed by police and the officer is exonerated, the victim’s father makes a harrowing choice to trade his humanity for a receipt in blood.

In his pursuit of “an eye for an eye,” he discovers that vengeance is a debt his heart cannot fully repay. As the line between justice and retribution collapses, the story forces us to confront a haunting reality: when the systems meant to protect us fail, who truly bears the cost?

This provocative drama examines one man’s descent into violence and the systemic failures that make his choices legible. It is a stark exploration of accountability, communal grief, and the devastating consequences that ripple when harm goes unrepaired.

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Derek W. Wright (Playwright) is a retired NYPD 1st Grade Detective turned playwright & NYU-trained screenwriter. He is the creator of the award-winning film When the Dust Settles and the 2025 play In Equal Measure. From the precinct to the stage—he tells stories with grit and heart.

Richard E. Waits (Actor & Coordinating Artist) is a veteran multidisciplinary performer who has appeared on Broadway and internationally and made his Metropolitan Opera debut in Bellini’s I Puritani.

Alexandra Foucard is a Broadway actress whose credits include Fantine in Les Misérables, Adelaide in the 50th Anniversary of Guys and Dolls, Pansy in House of Flowers, and Patricia in Richard Greenberg’s The Perplexed. A Grammy® nominee and NAACP Image Award winner, she is the creator of Momfia and currently stars in QueenDom PI.

Mia del Giudice is a New York City-based actress, whose recent credits include Malikah in the dramatic feature Gazelle, and Laina in the independent short film Wide White Walls. When Mia isn’t on camera, she enjoys working in pet care, traveling, and film photography. She is represented by Fire Starter Entertainment Talent Agency.

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Suggested Donation: $10
BUY TICKETS below, OR call: 201-836-3499 (Must call before Thurs. 3/19 at 5PM)
If you cannot pay the suggested donation, please call 201-836-3499 or email aortega@puffinfoundation.org to ask for free reservation(s). Thank you!