Today we’d like to introduce you to Carol Douglas-Welter.
Hi Carol, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I like to call myself a “young senior.” Yes, I’m 70—but let’s be clear, that number has very little to do with my curiosity, energy, or imagination.
I was raised in the southeast of England, and I’ll confess right away: I was never destined to be a doctor or a barrister. My report cards made that perfectly clear. Instead, I found my way to the stage. I trained in ballet and tap dancing, and eventually discovered my true home in speech and drama. From the age of five, I was in every school play that would have me—sometimes even when they didn’t.
By high school, I was accepted into a Shakespeare Conservatory, and I was absolutely in my element. The school was divided into classical theatre disciplines, and I soaked up everything. In the comedy division, I studied Commedia dell’Arte, Greek theatre, Asian theatre traditions, and of course Shakespeare’s comedies. I also tackled plenty of tragedies and histories along the way. Some of my favorite roles and works included As You Like It, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Hamlet, and Molière’s The Physician in Spite of Himself.
The conservatory focused on classical acting rather than method. Method acting was actually discouraged—apparently, wandering around permanently living inside your character’s psyche isn’t great for long-term mental health. Classical training, on the other hand, taught us to analyze the script moment by moment, identify objectives, and use tactics so the character could get what they wanted. Then, very importantly, the actor could leave the character on the stage and return to their own life. That training served me well—it preserved my sanity and gave me deep compassion for different personality types, both onstage and off.
Life took me in other directions for a while. I married, raised three children (now fully grown and launched into the world), and eventually found my way back to theatre. This time, something had shifted. I became more interested in directing and writing than acting alone. I drew on my early classical training and continued my education through university courses, private coaching, and master classes with some of Atlanta’s finest theatre minds—Addae Moon, Shontelle Thrash, Avery Williams, and Kirill Sheryneman, to name a few. These remarkable teachers inspired me deeply, and somewhere along the way, I became a writer.
And oh, how I love writing. Screenplays, stage plays, poetry—I love it all. I adore the research that goes into crafting a strong story. I interview my characters. I talk to them. I ask them questions. They answer back (which sounds alarming, but works beautifully). I’ve never experienced writer’s block—my characters simply won’t allow it.
Much of my work focuses on the underrepresented. I enjoy telling these stories through situation comedy or by exploring the inner landscapes shaped by deep-seated trauma. I also enjoy a good fight—verbal sparring, a good old-fashioned fistfight, or even swordplay. And while I enjoy conflict, I must admit I’m a sentimental slob at heart. There’s nothing like a beautifully written love story—not about sex, but about how true love grows, falters, and deepens over time.
My cup is almost always half full. I love gardening, animals, and especially my cat, Knight—who is, without question, the love of my life and knows it.
As for what I’m working on now: late last year, I wrote and produced Passing Shadows, directed by the wonderful Winston Wilson. I also submitted a screenplay titled Fatty Blackie to competition—a film that honors and celebrates large women. This year, I’ll be directing my original play Utopia, and I’m currently developing a fantasy project inspired by The Spiderwick Chronicles. At the heart of this new work is a question I find endlessly fascinating: What makes us superior?
I am, above all, a curious person. I work in a children’s library, surrounded by books and brilliant imaginations. For me, there is no better place to be. I am a lifelong student, a devoted storyteller, and someone who truly loves waking up to meet a new day.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have breast cancer, which has given some fun expressions. “Who needs tits anyway?” “And the best tits are the ones you hang on the door.”
Being a parent is never easy. Through all the struggles, they are adults, I am proud. I guess I should have learned how to change a flat tire. Thank God for AAA. Getting older and having all of those old lady aches and pains, most go away after a hot shower. Not always remembering. Oh the senior mind! Writing keeps a record. Understanding that not everyone is going to like me. Getting over a divorce. Having to say no and set boundaries. The aged are often thought of as being not so with it. I am sometimes treated as such. But you know what? I am brilliant.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love working in the children’s library. Seeing the students get excited about what they are reading feeds me. It’s the difference I can make in a child’s life that matters. The library keeps me current, always learning. Keep the old brain alive.
I also do Ikebana floral design. I enjoy doing small weddings and parties, and demonstrations, Shin, Soe, and Hikae, or Tai, which means Heaven, Humanity, and Earth. I work with both fresh and quality silk arrangements. There is a story, a play, in each Ikebana arrangement.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Sitting in the shed in the summertime on an old carpet with lots of pillows and reading. Picking flowers from the garden. Looking at the clouds. I loved Netball, a sport for girls, similar to basketball. Sitting at the railway station, I would buy a platform ticket for a penny so I could watch the trains.
Pricing:
- Royalties . See website
- Book of Poetry “Palava” on Amazon
- Directing. Thirty dollars per hour
- Dramaturge. gratuity
- planning and event: Case by case
Contact Info:
- Website: https://caroldwelter.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.welter.50
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12159224/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
