Anyone who watches The Discovery Channel with any regularity is familiar with the chameleon These members of the lizard family are capable of changing their colors to fit in with their surroundings. Television programs show how they morph from the greenest green into a nondescript brown simply by a change of their locale. They can also become striped and spotted depending on their environment. Their transformations are fascinating to watch.
Human beings are often called "chameleons" when they have changeable dispositions or habits. To call a boss or co-worker a "chameleon" is unflattering, but to apply that appellation to an actor and you are according him the highest form of praise. Doug Kreeger is an actor who has been displaying his chameleon-like gifts to the various roles he has played on New York's stages.
Kreeger first came to the attention of theater-goers when he essayed the role of Richard Loeb in Stephen Dolginoff's musical THRILL ME. In that musical, Kreeger was the brilliantined half of the Leopold and Loeb team who killed a youngster just for the sport of it. Kreeger was sensual and seductive in the role and was singled out by both the New York Times and the New York Post described as "compelling" and Rex Reed called "riveting". He was the personification of oiliness under the surface of debonair charm. Later on Kreeger appeared in NYMF's production of the musical YANK!, where he played Stu, a naïve GI, and was the epitome of innocence under an enlisted man's haircut. In reviewing that production, BroadwayWorld singled him out by saying, "As an actor, Kreeger is so skilled that his silent moments on stage become his most effective times for conveying emotion and motivation. He is a pleasure to watch."
Currently Kreeger is starring in Paul Scott Goodman and Miriam Gordon's ROOMS: A ROCK ROMANCE at The New World Stages. In it he plays Ian, a Scottish songwriter who becomes romantically involved with his lyricist played by Leslie Kritzer. This character is about as far removed from Loeb or Stu as can be imagined, but Kreeger brings him to life with stunning effectiveness. His Ian has a completely different body language and hairstyle from the other characters-and a fully convincing Scottish brogue. Other successful actors in musical theater, like Patrick Wilson and Craig Bierko, give excellent performances in different shows but they always look like themselves in these roles. That's not the case with Doug Kreeger. He is certainly the chameleon of musical theater.
Chatting with Kreeger by phone on a recent afternoon found the actor to be relaxed and amiable. His easy laugh often punctuates his conversation and his intelligence is evident in every sentence. When he learned that his interviewer was in a mood described as, "old, tired and cranky." Kreeger describes himself as "young, rested and optimistic" as he prepared for a performance in ROOMS which which opened on March 16th to very satisfying reviews. 
The New York Times singled out the actors by saying "Ms. Kritzer is funny and fabulous as she negotiates the various musical forms. And Mr. Kreeger deserves credit for staying just low-key enough to let her dominate while still having his moments (for instance, in "Clean," a delicately rendered song about sobering up). Both of them have solid voices, and Mr. Goodman gives them some songs that are quite listenable"
This is Hawaiian-born Kreeger's first New York appearance since he made his Broadway debut as Jean Prouvaire in the revival of LES MISERABLES; a production in which he understudied and went on in the role of Marius.
When asked how he prepared for the his role in ROOMS, Kreeger explains that he goes to the text first, looking for key words and phrases that give clues as to who this character is and how he is perceived by others. Once there, the actor often comes up with animal images to capture the physicality of the role he's playing and in this particular instance, worked with dialect coach Doug Honorof to get the Scottish inflections in place. To the pleasure of audience members, neither Kreeger nor his co-star are using wholly authentic Scottish brogues. Were they doing so, American audiences would be hard pressed to comprehend any of the dialogue.
