Alvin Sanders was born on March 16, 1952, in Oakland, California, and from an early age, he demonstrated a passion for performing, participating in church choirs, talent shows, and school plays. In 1968, he became deeply involved with The Seattle Repertory Theater, a renowned institution that offered unpaid acting opportunities to students, allowing them to earn high school credits and gain valuable experience working alongside professionals.
As a devotee of The Seattle Rep, Alvin spent two years honing his craft, earning 1-1/2 credits towards his graduation. During this period, he also co-founded Black Arts/West Theater in 1969, which would go on to become one of the largest black theaters in the United States, second only to The Negro Ensemble Company in New York.
As a key member of the Black Arts/West company, Alvin was involved in various aspects of the theater, including directing, designing, and administration. However, his primary focus remained on acting, and he eventually left Seattle to pursue higher education at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, one of the most prestigious collegiate actor training programs in North America.
After graduating with a BFA in drama/acting in 1975, Alvin began his professional acting career, landing his first SAG gig in 1973 and joining Actor's Equity in 1975. He went on to work with various theater companies, including Actor's Theater of Louisville, where he played the role of Petruchio in a school tour of "Taming of the Shrew".
In the summer of 1984, Alvin embarked on a new adventure, traveling to Barkerville, British Columbia, Canada to portray Wellingon Delaney Moses in a musical at The Theatre Royale. During his time there, he met the stage manager of the show, whom he would later marry, and the two relocated to Vancouver in the fall of 1984.
Since settling in Vancouver, Alvin has enjoyed a thriving career, earning numerous theater awards, appearing in various TV and film productions, providing voice work for animations, and taking on numerous national commercials in both Canada and the United States.
