“Atkins bounds across the stage, using a combination of storytelling, facial dynamism and a dancer-like nimbleness of the body…”
Houston Chronicle

Onstage, Douglas has played such roles as Brutus in Julius Caesar, a role that let him live in muscular verse and moral conflict, and Georg Nowak in She Loves Me, where he leaned into romantic vulnerability and musical intelligence. He’s had the pleasure of bringing Buyer & Cellar to multiple theatres around the country, playing Alex More while building a solo performance that balances celebrity satire with real emotional stakes. His stage credits also include work with Theatre Under the Stars (Ragtime, Elf, Mary Poppins), AD Players (The Sound of Music, West Side Story), Encore Musical Theatre (Hello, Dolly!), and more, spanning contemporary comedy, musical theatre, and American drama. He has originated roles in new plays — including Parrot Cage (Jeremy) and A Love for Compost (Wyatt) — and he has served as Fight Captain on multiple productions, bringing safe, specific physical storytelling into the room.

He holds an MFA in Acting from the University of Houston’s Professional Actor Training Program and has trained extensively in text, voice, and physical work, being most drawn to Shakespeare, clown, and devised/new work. His movement background includes stage combat, Suzuki, and Viewpoints, and he holds SAFD proficiency in Rapier & Dagger, Broadsword, Knife, and Unarmed combat.

Douglas James is a Chicago-based actor by way of Houston, TX and Philadelphia, PA. His work moves comfortably between classical text, new work, and music theatre, bringing a mix of wit, warmth, and danger that makes him equally at home as the romantic lead, the fast-talking schemer, or the unhinged comic problem.

Douglas works on camera as well, appearing in television projects including the CW series Walker (co-star) and the fantasy series Fabletown. He has also booked and shot multiple nationwide commercial campaigns, giving him on-set experience with national brands and production environments.

In addition to traditional theatre and TV, Douglas is a singer, comic improviser, and a developing triathlete.