La’ Tevin Alexander Is the Ultimate Multihyphenate

The man behind Confrontation Theatre is a regular on stages across the city.

La'Tevin Alexander (Courtesy of La'Tevin Alexander )

Age: 31

Occupation: Actor, founder and artistic director of Confrontation Theatre

Why He Matters: While Alexander was raised Baptist, he has explored many other faiths (in the midst of the pandemic, he told WW that he was following the principles of the ancient Egyptian goddess Ma’at). For him, spirituality is less a meal than a buffet—a philosophy reflected in his expansive career.

As the founder and artistic director of Confrontation Theatre, one of Portland’s foremost Black theater companies, Alexander has built on the legacy of groundbreaking organizations like PassinArt, mounting relevant and revolutionary productions like The Contract (about a gay minister whose wife sanctions his affair with another man).

Alexander has performed on most of Portland’s premier stages, including Portland Playhouse, Profile Theatre, and Portland Center Stage. He’s also amassed an ever-growing list of film and TV credits, with guest appearances on Portland classics like Grimm and Portlandia, and is starring in the upcoming film Outdoor School.

Another highlight of Alexander’s career was appearing in Walking Through Portland as a Panther, a one-man show about Kent Ford, the founder of Portland’s Black Panther party. Right now, you can catch him onstage as Marley (and a host of other characters) in Portland Playhouse’s A Christmas Carol.

Biggest Influence: “Malcolm X and Bob Marley are my two spiritual uncles. Confrontation Theatre gets its name from Marley’s 1983 album, and I have always loved Malcolm, what he lived and died for.”

Greatest Personal Achievement: “Becoming a full-time professional actor.”

Favorite Guilty Pleasure: “Watching Game of Thrones all the way through—for the eighth time.”

Best Quote About Him: “I’ve known La’ Tevin since he arrived in Portland as an apprentice at Portland Playhouse. As we like to say in the business: La’ Tevin is like ‘butter.’ He’s a very smart actor.” —Kevin Jones, artistic director, CEO and co-founder of the Red Door Project

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