Kenosha teacher's movie now playing in theaters around the country

 

KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Tonight's a dream come true for a math teacher with a passion for writing. Michael Corcoran's in the Kenosha Unified School District by day, and tonight, the screen play he wrote is a movie, playing in theatres around the country.

It's an exciting opening night of 'Righteous Thieves'.

For those who wonder if it's possible for a Midwest guy to connect with Hollywood producers without moving out west, he says yes.

"To see my name on the credits, the opening credits, and again, it's very surreal," said Michael Corcoran, screen writer of Righteous Thieves.

Michael Corcoran's your average guy with a big dream.

"You know it's like well what's a math teacher doing writing?" said Corcoran.

Corcoran coaches football and teaches math at Tremper High School. A family man with four kids, who sometimes weigh in on his side hustle.

"And my kids too, they'll say dad, kids don't talk like that," said Corcoran.

As a kid himself, Corcoran wrote short stories. He transitioned to screenplays after being inspired by the movie 'Goodwill Hunting'.

"I remember going to the movies a lot and loving it and then learning that screen writing was something you could do for a living, but again, being from the Midwest, I wasn't ready to pack up and head off to LA or anything, so," said Corcoran.

Years went by. Social media became a thing. Corcoran ultimately found some great mentors online.

"There was actually an amazing community, it's kind of referred to as screen writer Twitter, where it was an amazing community where, there was professional writers, produced writers that were on there, and they'd be very willing just to answer a question," said Corcoran.

Corcoran networked, and it worked. He says he was asked to write 'Righteous Thieves' by the president of Broken English Productions.

"Just 'being in town and seeing things has been really exciting, getting to meet the cast of 'Righteous Thieves' because we have an amazing cast," said Corcoran.

Among those in the audience here -- one of Corcoran's former students.

"Being here is a solid reminder that all that hard work does pay off," said Miles Foster, UW-Madison student and graduate of Tremper High School.

"If you're willing to do the work, chase the dream, that's been the biggest thing, don’t feel like just because we're here and we're not out on the west coast or New York, that it's not possible because it is," said Corcoran.

This Marcus Renaissance cinema is showing 'Righteous Thieves' through March 15. It's also at theatres in six other cities right now around the country.