Screenwriter brings his play to Leamington

A HOLLYWOOD screenwriter visited Leamington this week to watch one of his plays at The Loft Theatre.

Mark Troy, who has had more than 55 plays produced and written numerous television and film scripts including ER, Titanic and Half-Nelson, believes whenever you write you write for real.

He said: “Writing isn’t a hobby, it’s too hard.

“I began when I was 13 after my grandmother gave me a typewriter, and I always took it very seriously.

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“This is a good thing because I started having plays produced in my teens and then I made a career out of writing because there really wasn’t anything else I wanted to do.”

Mr Troy’s latest play, which he actually wrote for his girlfriend Colette’s birthday three and a half years ago, is currently being performed at the Loft Theatre and ends tomorrow evening (Saturday).

The writer said: “It’s been really good fun coming to England to see my play.

“I haven’t seen the script for this play for so long, so during rehearsals I was like ‘did I actually write that?’

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“I don’t know where my scripts or my ideas come from. I just watch people and get my inspiration from them. It’s about watching and listening and having a tremendous ego.

“I must have written more than 100 plays and have had them performed all over the world.”

Mr Troy, who lives in Burbank, California, with his girlfriend and dog Moses, spends eight hours a day, seven days a week, writing, and sets aside weeks where he sends out scripts to various directors and theatres.

He also teaches writing classes and works as a script doctor for various shows and movies.

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He said: “I like the freedom of not being employed by anyone.

“I would hate to work on a sitcom and debate for days about whether someone wearing a hat is funnier than someone not wearing one in a particular scene.

“I’ve worked very hard and have been very fortunate to get my writing in theatres and on screen, and I plan to keep doing this for a long time.”

Mr Troy’s films include Who Kidnapped Grandma?, Number 1 Girl, Half-Nelson, The Stork’s Child, Zipper Face, American Guru, the Tooth Fairy and Beach Fever. His television shows include Big Fat West, Marryin Sam and The Fortunes. While his award-winning plays include Somehow I Woke up in West Virginia, Figment, Desperation, Avenues, Mutilation and The Putz.

www.curtainrise.com