Puffin Cultural Forum to Host IN EQUAL MEASURE Staged Reading on Police Accountability

Puffin Cultural Forum, a project of the Puffin Foundation, Ltd., will present a special staged reading of In Equal Measure on Saturday, March 21 at 7:00 PM, followed by a facilitated community discussion on police accountability, communal grief, and the moral consequences when justice systems fail. The play centers on a father grappling with the death of his son at the hands of police and the emotional fallout when accountability does not come.

Organized by Jeremy Lentz, Director of Special Projects at the Puffin Foundation, the program intentionally situates art within urgent local and national conversations, creating space for reflection at a time when many communities are experiencing heightened fear, instability, and institutional strain.

The work resonates deeply with Teaneck's own history, particularly the 1990 police killing of Philip Pannell, a tragedy that drew national attention and sparked enduring dialogue about race, policing, and justice in the township. By anchoring the performance in this local legacy, the event invites residents to consider how historical wounds continue to shape civic life and collective memory.

"We have a responsibility to create spaces for honest, communal reflection," said Lentz. "Art allows us to confront difficult truths together and ask what repair, justice, and community responsibility truly mean."

More than a visceral drama, In Equal Measure serves as a mirror 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 in pursuit of justice. As the line between justice and retribution collapses, the story forces audiences to confront a difficult question: when the systems meant to protect us fail, who ultimately bears the cost?

Written by Derek W. Wright-a former NYPD First Grade Detective who later turned to storytelling as a lecturer, private investigator, and NYU-trained screenwriter-the play examines one man's descent into violence alongside the systemic failures that make his choices legible. Wright's 2015 short film When the Dust Settles earned festival recognition from Manhattan to Peekskill, and In Equal Measure has received selections from the Spark and Chain Theatre Festivals, including a staged presentation on the anniversary of September 11.

The staged reading will feature Richard E. Waits, known locally as Teaneck's first Black Tevye in connection with the premiere of Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles at the Teaneck International Film Festival. A critically acclaimed actor, singer, playwright, composer, and producer, Waits' career spans more than four decades across Broadway, Off-Broadway, film, television, and international concert stages. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in Bellini's I Puritani, with stage credits including Dreamgirls, Kinky Boots, Ragtime, Fences, and Twelfth Night, and concert appearances at Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall. His screen work includes the Amazon Prime feature Ramsey and an upcoming Netflix project.

Also appearing is Alexandra Foucard, whose credits include Broadway: Fantine in LES MISERABLES, Adelaide in the 50th Anniversary production of Guys and Dolls, Patricia in Richard Greenberg's The Perplexed. A Grammy nominee and NAACP Image Award winner for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, she is also the creator and star of the award-winning dramedy Momfia and founder of The I AM Collective Productions, dedicated to empowering artists to create bold, purpose-driven work. Rounding out the cast is Mia del Giudice, a New York City-based actress and Jacksonville, Florida native who transitioned to acting after earning her doctorate in physical therapy from NYU. Her recent work includes the fantasy short Wonders, a co-leading role in Dead Man On Leave, and the lead in The Bee, produced by Legacy Pictures. She also led the Howard M.F.A. thesis film Paralysis by Analysis, which toured domestically and received the institution's ShotDeck Showstopper Award.

The evening will be moderated by Teaneck community leader and activist Allison Davis, a veteran television news producer whose career includes extensive work at NBC News and a role in the launch of MS NOW (formerly MSNBC). A founding member of the National Association of Black Journalists, Davis was inducted into the organization's Hall of Fame in 2016.

Andrew Lee, Director of the Puffin Cultural Forum states "At a time when communities are grappling with questions of public trust and institutional legitimacy, we hope this program will foster constructive civic engagement by bringing together artists, residents, and local leaders in constructive communal dialogue. The Puffin Cultural Forum remains committed to such endeavors."

The staged reading will run approximately 25-30 minutes, with the majority of the evening devoted to a moderated talkback and facilitated community discussion. The conversation will examine the play's themes in relation to Teaneck's history, present-day tensions, and the ongoing need for community-centered dialogue in moments of fear and institutional strain.

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