"Bury me standing" follows four family members after the sudden death of 26 year-old Evan Dowling. The always contentious relationship flares between Gloria, his surly mother, and his 7-month pregnant girlfriend, Mott. Ruth, an ever-curious 10 year-old, becomes obsessed with the concept of death and decides to confront it by visiting Elijah, the 17 year-old murderer of her cousin. Evan’s half-brother, Chooch, suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress syndrome, discovers an audiotape from Evan and is convinced it contains the key to happiness. Evan’s philosophies lead Chooch down a twisted path that turns his life upside down. All four characters find their paths progressively intertwined leading each to a breaking point that irreversibly affects another. Some relationships are dissolved. Some are redefined. Ultimately, "Bury me standing" is a mosaic that unfolds the story of how a death became the catalyst for four bereaved to reassess their choices and confront their greatest fear.

In Feb 2001, my cousin, was shot and killed in a mugging gone wrong. The days that followed inspired the script "Bury me standing". The more I wrote, the more I wanted to explore the power of death and the way it made ignored, hidden and unsaid things bubble to the surface. I became interested in the magnified strange dynamics between family, the sudden personal reflections, and the bizarrely humorous moments that occur in the middle of tragedy (they are numerous!). Initially, I began this project to rage against the seeming banality of a young Black man being killed. This was my personal answer to America’s desensitization to death, to so-called "Gangsta Rap", and the overall celebration of violence and murder.