The stage adaptation of Fort Worth journalist and author Tim Madigan’s book “I’m Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers” makes its debut Oct. 26 at Circle Theatre.

Madigan and Dr. Harry Parker — professor of theatre at TCU and founding managing director of the Trinity Shakespeare Festival — co-wrote the adaptation of Madigan’s book, first published in 2006. Madigan wrote the story about the friendship he formed with Rogers, the childrens’ icon, after reporting and writing a newspaper story about Rogers in 1995. The play runs through Nov. 18. Tickets are available at circletheatre.com. Madigan sat down for a Q&A with 360West recently.

First, congratulations on such longevity with this story.
Madigan: It’s had a good run. I still hear from people who are reading it.

Tell us how the stage play came about.
Madigan: I heard from Harry Parker four years ago. He said, ‘I love your book and I think it’d make a great play.’ I said, ‘great, knock yourself out.’”

So you’ve said he did three or four revisions by spring 2022?
Madigan: He knows everybody in the Fort Worth theatre scene. He got these actors together for a reading in late spring 2022. These four wonderful actors agreed to do it. I was sitting there weeping. It was such an experience seeing your words — my life’s story — come to life. I think it’s very beautiful. It’s kind of surreal in a way that, after all these years, this would have taken such a turn.

What’s the potential for this play after Circle Theatre?
Madigan: They said from the beginning that this isn’t going to end in Fort Worth. The themes are kind of timeless. Harry and I are very proud of where we got the script. We’re very hopeful this isn’t the end of it.