Troy Murray

In the past six months or so I have seen the sensationally gifted Troy Murray play King Herod, a cowboy, an obnoxious, heavy drinking college student, and a young Jewish comedy writer. Versatile and skilled, Troy brought each of these characters to life. There is an authenticity and genuineness in Troy’s stage presence that imbues his characters with believability. In addition, he is a terrific singer. Off stage, Troy is a kind, inquisitive, and thoughtful young man who is a joy to be around. Take a few moments to read about DFW rising star Troy Murray.

When was your first time on stage?

Picture this: an introverted, timid, frail 9-year-old boy with a John Cena haircut and a watermelon-sized head. This was the version of Troy Murray that first took the stage in 2008. I was chosen by my elementary school music teacher to play the school bully, Sherman the Shark, in my 3 rd grade production of School Days. The show was about a school of fish going to school, very similar to Disney Channel’s “Fish Hooks”. I struggled so much in this role, but my teacher kept telling me that his “vision” demanded me in this particular part. I tried to live up to his “vision”; however, I frequently broke down in tears mid-rehearsal because I couldn’t bring myself to act mean toward my classmates. My music teacher’s solution to the matter was to have the other sharks physically carry out my villainous plans, while I evil laughed nervously from the opposite side of the stage. Two years later, my teacher tried again to bring out my darker side in my 5th-grade holiday show Prehistoric Christmas, where I played a T-Rex. Unfortunately, I tripped and fell flat on my face during opening night. That embarrassing moment traumatized me so much that I decided to quit acting for 4 years. It took until high school for me to find the courage to step back onto the stage again and give theatre another shot.

When did you know you wanted to be an actor?

I think my dream of becoming an actor was solidified when I first moved to Dallas in 2019. I attended The University of Texas at Dallas for my M.S. in Marketing, and eventually a minor in Theatre. UT Dallas is different from most university theatre programs, as they allow any student of any major to audition for their shows. As a freshman, I auditioned for their production of The Rocky Horror Show, not knowing a single thing about musical theatre. Up to this point, I had never taken proper singing lessons, and I knew nothing about the culture surrounding musicals. I simply went into the audition with one goal: just make an impression. For my audition, I prepared a 16-bar cut of “Beauty School Dropout” from Grease, a choice I still laugh about to this day. I got halfway through my song before the director stopped me and had me do it over again, but instead as “a cemetery worker doing the overnight shift”. On the spot, I made the impulse decision to add an accent, create an impromptu character, and change all of the lyrics to match the description. I took a massive risk, and I ended up getting cast as Riff Raff in my inaugural college production! This audition not only gave me the confidence I drastically needed, but it convinced me that I had what it took to be a professional actor.

Who is your greatest mentor?

I have 2 fantastic people in my life that I refer to as my mentors. The first is Mark Mullino, one of Dallas’s finest musicians, directors, and artists. When I was cast in The Rocky Horror Show at UT Dallas, Mark was the one to take me under his wing and give me the vocal lessons necessary to improve my singing abilities. He helped me discover the difference between a chest and a head voice, as well as how to sing comfortably. His patience and care for his students is truly second to none, and I am so fortunate to have been under his guidance since beginning my journey in DFW.

The second is Anthony Pound, one of the most kind and influential people I have ever worked with. Anthony has been my director on two projects since I began working in the community sector of Dallas. In my eyes, he has perfected the art of life balance, as he shows by example how someone can be both family-oriented and successful in their chosen career. I always frequent Anthony’s opinion when it comes to my work on and offstage, and I am ever so grateful for his feedback as I continue to grow as an individual.

What role have you enjoyed the most in your career so far?

It’s so hard to choose, as I’ve truly enjoyed all of the roles I’ve taken on. However, if I had to pick one, recency bias aside, I would have to pick Benjy Stone in My Favorite Year. This role is incredibly special to me for a number of reasons. Before this production at Allen Contemporary Theatre, I never truly believed I could be the leading man in a musical. Up until I was cast as Benjy, I had accepted the idea that I could only ever be a secondary lead at best. This part changed my entire outlook, however, as it gave me the chance to test my acting endurance and connect with a character on such a personal level. In many ways, Benjy and I are incredibly similar. We both have a passion for the entertainment industry, we both strive to create community through comedy, we both have troubled family pasts, and we both struggle to find acceptance for who we truly are. I had a blast discovering these parallels and finding ways to tie them into my own story for viewing audiences. I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity, and I’m even more grateful for my directors, Laura Jennings and Eddy Herring. They gave me a chance to prove myself to the Dallas area, and I can never thank them enough for helping me to finally feel like the main character of my own story.

Do you have a dream role?

I have many! Some big ones that come to mind would be Shakespeare in Something Rotten!, Elder Cunningham in The Book of Mormon, and Princeton/Rod in Avenue Q. However, I could end my theatre career happy if I got to just play the demon himself in Beetlejuice just one time! Since watching the slime tutorial on YouTube 4 years ago, I knew that it was my destiny to one day play this role. I’ve also done everything possible to bring this role into existence for me. This includes, but is not limited to, Broadway on a Tuesday performances of “The Whole Being Dead Thing” and borderline imitations of him when I played Chad in LCT’s world premiere of Lend Me a Chainsaw. When this dream inevitably comes true, I will officially be able to say that I’ve made it in show business.

What person(s) would you like to be on stage with?

In terms of well-known Broadway names, I would love to one day work with the likes of Jonathan Groff, Alex Brightman, and/or Andrea Martin. All of them have had such positive influences on my style of acting, and sharing the stage with them would be nothing short of an honor. There are also so many talented people in the DFW area that I would love to work with at some point or another. I think the names at the top of my list, however, would be Jayden Russell, Patrick Britton, and Thomas Schnaible. All of them are incredibly gifted performers, yet somehow, we keep passing each other at auditions without ever being cast in the same show together. I am putting it out to the universe that we will share the stage sooner rather than later!

What performances have you seen that impressed you?

In terms of professional theatres outside of Dallas, I was mesmerized and floored by West End’s production of StrangerThings: The First Shadow. As a fan of the Netflix series, I had so many doubts when I went to see the show in London. By the end of it, however, I can definitively say that it is one of the best productions I have ever seen. From the scene work, to the production value, to even the projections displayed at intermission, this show was perfection in every sense of the word. I cannot wait until it comes to Broadway so I can enjoy this masterpiece all over again. When referencing shows in the DFW area, I can recall leaving the theatre thoroughly impressed after seeing Lost in Yonkers at Richardson Theatre Center, and Alice by Heart at Lakeside Community Theatre. Both of these productions excelled in so many departments. The marketing going into each show was great, the performers in both casts created such convincing characters, and the direction behind both shows made me want to see them a second time. All in all, these two works reminded me why I love the performing arts as much as I do.

What are your career goals?

Within the next 3 years, I want to begin dabbling in the directing side of theatre. I love the art of acting, don’t get me wrong, but I would love to see what it’s like to see a show from start to finish. I would love nothing more than to start off studying as an AD under a director I highly admire, inevitably leading to some directing gigs in the Dallas area. While I also hope to delve into the world of voice acting one day, another primary goal of mine is to put my Marketing degree to good use and work as a Marketing Manager for a theatre company. I vastly admire the business procedures that go into building an organization from the ground up, especially when it comes to companies in the performing arts industry. In the next 5 years, I plan to work professionally in this space, whether it’s at a theatre company, an opera house, or something else entirely.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I think the most surprising thing would be that I am a massive fan of professional wrestling, most notably WWE. I’ve been watching Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown since I was 11, and I even have tickets to this year’s WrestleMania in my hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. There have been a handful of times where I have asked to be excused from rehearsals because WWE was in town. I am incredibly sorry to the directors and creative teams who have been, and may potentially be, affected as a result of my love for professional wrestling. It cannot be helped, unfortunately!