HOW DID YOU START WRITING?
When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a columnist just like my hero, Pete Hamill from “The New York Post.” In 1993, I was hired as a columnist at “The Fort Worth Star-Telegram,” and I was there for 20 years before I became a watchdog columnist for “The Dallas Morning News.”
HOW DID YOU TRANSITION TO PLAYWRITING?
I’ve written nine books and two plays during my 29 years as a writer. My first play was about Amon Carter, who was called Mr. Fort Worth and owned the “Star-Telegram,” WBAP Radio and Channel 5. It was called “Amon: The Ultimate Texan,” and it ran 36 times in six cities from 2019 to 2020.
WHAT’S YOUR NEWEST SHOW ABOUT?
My new show is called “PEROT! American Patriot,” and it tells the remarkable story of Ross Perot Sr. and how he built his family fortune. The emphasis is on the family’s values and how love, business smarts and philanthropy was passed down from one generation to the next. It’s set for nine shows at the Coppell Arts Center, with opening night set for Feb. 11.
HOW DIFFERENT IS IT TO WRITE A PLAY THAN IT IS TO WRITE A COLUMN?
Surprisingly, they’re not all that different. Whether it’s a column, a book or a play, I’m concerned with getting the facts right and telling people the truth. Playwriting is a lot like news writing, because stories are just scenes, and plays are just scenes as well.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO DO A SHOW FOCUSED ON ROSS PEROT SR.?
When he passed away in 2019, I saw how much love people had for him all over the world. When I started reading about his life, I was amazed at all of the things he accomplished and wanted to bring his life story to the stage. Texans love their heroes — that’s why I decided to do this show.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO REGARDING YOUR RETURN TO PLAYWRITING?
I’m most looking forward to seeing people’s reactions as they walk out of the theater ecstatic over what they just watched. I saw people’s reactions to my first play two years ago, and it was so magical that I wanted to write another play immediately afterward. I wanted to experience that same writer’s high all over again.