To modify a W.C. Fields joke: a nun drove Doug to act but he did get to thank her.

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The third of four kids but the last to try acting, (his older brother likes to brag how he started the tradition by playing "The Cookie Monster" in the first grade)  Doug recalls fondly seeing both his older sister playing "Violet" in a Charlie Brown play and his younger sister bring down the house as a scrappy hillbilly tomboy. Back then, however, his only artistic dream was to draw comic books.  A fateful week home sick from school, gave him an appreciation for classic movies and new idols like Jimmy Cagney and soon after, Orson Welles (seeing "Kane" made him want to become a filmmaker).
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Yet he still had never seen himself as an actor until his teacher Sister Mary Gilchrist insisted he audition for her production of "Oliver!". He took the role of Mr. Bumble and it changed him forever.  In high school, lead roles and awards followed in comedies by the likes Neil Simon and musicals like "Hello, Dolly!" and Grease". Majoring in college theatre, he performed or directed over 40 productions in everything from Greek Tragedy to Chekhov to Shaw to Williams to Mamet. At 20, he made his professional debut in "King Lear" and while still a student, made the successful transition to working on some of Northeast Ohio's biggest stages: he originated the title role in "Renfield" at Cleveland Public Theatre and followed that by winning the coveted role of "Louis" in the acclaimed Dobama mounting of both parts of "Angels in America".

 

He then got jobs teaching theatre to children for Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Weathervane Playhouse, Stagecrafters and several Summer Arts Camp Programs. By now he'd been in close to a hundred local productions, had graduated from Second City and been in several improv and sketch troupes, and fulfilled his longtime dream of playing the title role in "Hamlet". He spent a Summer backpacking in Europe and then realized It was time to go to grad school. He auditioned for just three programs: Julliard, Yale (who gave him a call-back) and Alabama Shakespeare Festival (where he was accepted).

 

At ASF, he played major roles in "Orestes", "Lily's Purple Plastic Purse", "All My Sons", "The Winter's Tale", "Three Sisters" "A Christmas Carol" and "To Kill A Mockingbird" as well as understudying great roles in "As You Like It", "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", "Coriolanus" and "The Real Thing". After graduation he made the big move to NYC.

 

Since arriving, he's played roles in more than 90 stage productions (garnering awards and appearing several times each in most all of the city's major theatre festivals) and an additional  70 on-camera projects (starring in indie feature films, web series and commercials) and is currently co-writing his first screenplay, a thriller entitled "Blind Spot" in which he'll be co-starring. He's also somehow been lucky enough to marry the most beautiful girl on earth (whose own stunning acting talent is a daily source of his inspiration) and they have two kitties together in Queens.