The Italian American Playwrights Series aims to spotlight authentic Italian American voices and stories that reflect the diverse experiences, heritage, and cultural intersections of the Italian American community. Five selected plays are given a public reading at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’ at NYU and at the Calandra Institute for Italian American Studies.

NOVEMBER 17, 2026
CASA ITALIANA ZERILLI-MARIMO’ AT NYU

AN ACCIDENTAL MURDER? by Diana Grillo
The hardships and prejudice of the Italian American experience, and how it can erupt into violence.

“An Accidental Murder?” is set in a small suburban town in New York. The year is 1965, the day is March 7th, or more importantly, remembered as “Bloody Sunday.” While watching the movie Judgement at Nuremberg, Margie is reminded of the horrors of prejudice and hatred during the holocaust. Then the movie is abruptly interrupted to show the visual images of peaceful marchers struggling to fight for dignity and equality while being met by government-sanctioned violence. Soon after, the violence is intertwined in the everyday life of Mrs. Costa, living with an abusive Italian husband, tormented by the prejudice he has had to endure.  Margie becomes a witness to the violent abuse of Mrs. Costa.  “An Accidental Murder? Unmasks the hidden epidemic of domestic abuse and how, at that time, our lack of laws to protect the abused became societal-sanctioned cruelty. Domestic abuse causes lingering damage, not only to the direct victim but to all the others in that person’s life who love them and try to protect them, for they are the victims too. By the end of the play, Margie has a moral dilemma to solve.

Organizers: Kairos Italy Theater, Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’ at NYU and the Calandra Institute for Italian American Studies. The series is supported in part by UNICO-Brookhaven.