All the world's a stage for Winders resident Doug

For Bolton Clarke Winders resident Doug, all the world’s a stage.

Doug first trod the boards in Canberra in 1963 and more than 50 years later is still actively involved in local theatre.

Most recently he wrote, directed and did props, lighting and sound for the Tweed Theatre Company’s production A Brown Slouch Hat.

After working in amateur and professional productions in Canberra he joined the popular Dirty Dick’s theatre restaurant shows and toured Australia for three years before forming his own company with his wife, Trish.

They toured their own productions including Carry on Blackbeard, Up the Jolly Roger and Where’s Me Buccaneers? for close to a decade, finally settling in Port Macquarie.

While he loves theatre restaurant for its spontaneity, Doug says a career highlight was his role as Alfred P Doolittle in a Canberra production of My Fair Lady.

“I was only 35 so they had to make me look older,” he says.

“We played three weeks in a 1200 seat theatre and it was filled every night.”

He made the decision to retire after moving to Banora Point with Trish. It was after her death in 2013 that Doug moved to the Winders retirement community.

“We had looked at Winders together because we knew we’d have to move eventually. When I was on my own, I decided I couldn’t stay in our three-bedroom home, so I enquired here and a place had just come on the market.

“I snapped it up – I absolutely love it here.”

He also returned to the stage in 2015 and has been president of Tweed Theatre Company for the past three years, assisting with the production of four shows a year – the most recent attended by his fellow Winders residents.

“I’ve tried so long to convert them to come and see a show,” he says.

“Finally, they came to see A Brown Slouch Hat, and they’ve said they’ll be back next time!”