Growing up, I saw very few representations of black people on stage in a dramatic setting that wasn't on the chitlin circuit. I was lucky to fall under the tutelage of the great Ron Milner, Laurence Holder and (by reading) Aisha Rahman. I knew I wanted to put the beauty of the specfic nature of African American (specifically Midwest and East regions) relationships and culture on stage, wrapped around the larger feeling of the presence of our place in the larger world around us. I enjoy writing about the small moments with the big world hovering over.