Aside from high school, his first professional acting opportunity was doing summer stock as Eugene in Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs. He toured Bucks County Playhouse, Pocono Playhouse, Woodstock Playhouse and Falmouth Playhouse. He continued traveling around the east coast in productions of Evita, A Chorus Lines (Mike), 42nd Street (Mac), My One and Only and The Pirates of Penzance (Sgt. of Police).

Mr. Donaldson graduated from Bard College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Drama/Dance.  His final year he portrayed Jacque Roux in MARAT/SADE and dual roles in Our Country’s Good.

Other College plays included: George M, Amadeus, Oedipus, and Lone Star.

After graduating college, he moved to Los Angeles, where he became a member of the prestigious West Coast Ensemble Theatre Company,  performing in Cabaret and Israel Horowitz’s Line; and starting his journey into graphic design as the in-house designer for all of West Coast Ensemble’s shows and marketing materials for over ten years.

He was a founding member of TPLLA, the Theatrical Producers League of Los Angeles, of which he served on the board for two years; and also had the honor of Producing the annual LADCC Awards show for the Los Angeles Drama Critic’s Circle — 2014-2018. And, was an owner and Creative Director for FOOTLIGHTS, a company that supplied theatrical programs to hundreds of small and medium sized theaters in Los Angeles.

As Producing Director for three years of the Greenway Court Theatre 2012-2015, Mr. Donaldson put together the first-ever season for GCT and helped produce such shows as Psyche, A Rock Opera by Cindy Shapiro and Jack Wall, Breathe by Lavon Johnson, The Glass Menagerie directed by Jack Heller, Front Door Open directed by Assad Kelada and starring Joanna Miles, 7 EASY PIECES, a series of short plays written and developed at the Actors Studio Playwright and Directors unit; Reclining Nude On La Cienega by Jann Karam, and, Part of the Plan, an American musical featuring the songbook of Dan Fogelberg …. And produced the Annual West Coast Slam, INKSLAM,  for Da Poetry Lounge, the spot for spoken word weekly on Tuesdays for over 20 years.

His Theatre Producing credits include the Los Angeles Premiere of Israel Horowitz’s Line; Lone Star by James McClure, You Can’t Take It With You; the World Premiere of Whispers of the Soul and Salam Shalom by Saleem (Also directed both); Suitehearts by William Van Zandt and Jane Milmore (also Directed); the West Coast Premiere of Beltway Roulette (Also Directed) by Mark Scharf; Rocks by Al Sorci; Bar Room Trilogy and Heaven’s Den.

After serving as Coordinator for the Choreography Department for the feature film “Dance With Me” starring Vanessa Williams, Chayanne, Kris Kristofferson and Joan Plowright, and directed by Randa Haines; he turned his attention towards producing and started Buddha-Cowboy Productions.

His Short Film entitled, “Little Bart Needs A Job!,” which he also starred in, was an Official Selection at the San Antonio Underground Film Festival and  the International Festival of Cinema and Technology, where it toured New York, Toronto and Sydney.  Other Films he has produced include “Soldier of God,” an historical epic set during the Crusades and WINNER of The Stratford-Upon-Avon International Film Festival and Official Selection of the Berkeley Video & Film Festival starring Tim Abell, William Mendieta, Sam Hennings and William Morgan Sheppard.  “Love Fear & Rabbits,” a comedy with Joey Lauren Adams, Laz Alonzo, Ike Barinholtz, Brande Roderick and Rebecca Gayheart; “FBI Guys,” an action dramedy with Paul Darrigo, Richard Rielhe; “Broken,” a psychological  drama with Franklin Dennis Jones, Charlie Babcock and Anita Lincoln Official Selection Stratford-Upon-Avon International Film Festival and the Los Angeles International Short Film festival and “Bitter Brew,” a Television spec pilot starring David Moscow, Christina Klebe, Frank Caliendo and Jeff Endin.  He was also Co-Producer and Production coordinator for “Tru Loved,” written and directed by Stewart Wade and starring Jake Abel, Alec Mapa, Alexandra Paul and Jane Lynch. And, Producer and First Assistant Director for “Little Wings,” written and directed by Morgan Rhodes; Starring Ron Canada and Joseph Castanon.  

He produced Julie Richardson’s directorial debut’s “Guarding Charlie,” and “Rule #61,” and “Getting Ed Laid,” written and directed by Deborah Pearl and starring Ed Asner and Jean Smart, which recently won the “Lou Costello award for Best Short Film” at the Garden State Film Festival and “Best Comedy Short” at the Marina Del Rey Film Festival. 

Most recently, Mr. Donaldson wrote and produced the feature film, “RIFT,” currently playing on Paramount+.  He was Production Manager for “Prodigal” produced by 444 Films;

and was First A.D. on “Mind of EP,” Season One, by Magic Lemonade and Emmanuel Hudson, directed by Chase Walker; And, he Produced the short film “Third Wheel” directed by Marshall Seese Jr., which received the Audience Award for the  2019 – 48hr Film Project. He is the Line Producer and Production Manager for the Smithsonian documentary, “The Hudson River – Journey Into the Wild,” Produced by Skyland Films and Ran Films out of Austria and directed by John Dutton, playing on NatGeo.

Currently, he is in the producer and director on the Documentary “77 Days in Hell, The Siege of Khe Sahn” which is currently in Post Production;

He is currently serving on three SAG/AFTRA committees and the DeKalb Entertainment Advisory Council.   

Additionally, Mr. Donaldson is WSET certified in Wine.