James T. Alfred

Chicago native James T. Alfred is an award-winning actor. A Wilsonian actor, James has collaborated with Penumbra Theatre founder Lou Bellamy on five of Penumbra company member August Wilson’s ten plays in Wilson’s 20th Century Cycle. Those collaborations include Jitney, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences, Two Trains Running, and The Piano Lesson. James has performed in six of the ten plays in the Wilson Cycle.

Upon completion of his M.F.A. in 2004, James has worked in American theater throughout the country from New York to Los Angeles, including New York’s Public Theater and Classic Stage Company, Baltimore Center Stage, Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Arena Stage, Penumbra Theatre, Guthrie Theater, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Cincinnati Playhouse, Arizona Theatre Company, Mark Taper Forum, and many others. James has performed in five world premieres, including Redshirts, April 4, 1968, Brothers of the Dust, Oh Happy Day, and Academy Award winner Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Head of Passes.

James T. Alfred has both co-starred and guest starred in several hit television series including FOX’s Empire and Prison Break; NBC’s Chicago P.D., The Blacklist, Blindspot, and Law & Order: Organized Crime; CBS’s Matlock and FBI; and STARZ’s Boss and Power Book II: Ghost.

James wrote and performed A Brown Tale, which was directed by Lou Bellamy. A Brown Tale was the inaugural production of the Claude Edison Purdy Festival of Solo Artists. A Brown Tale was the spotlight performance for the African American Arts Festival in Atlanta and has played in Charlotte, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

James T. Alfred is a graduate of the Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting from the Moscow Art Theatre School. James has lectured on acting, solo performance, and show business at colleges and universities around the country, including Harvard, MIT, Northeastern, Northwestern, Davidson College, the University of Minnesota, Chicago State, the University of Chicago, and others.