Alex Breaux is currently experiencing a rare phenomenon in the worlds of theatre and TV: He can be seen eight times a week on Broadway in Stranger Things: The First Shadow and also on the fifth and final season of the Netflix series that inspired the stage production, Stranger Things.

Breaux plays Dr. Brenner (the role created by Matthew Modine on screen) in the stage prequel at the Marquis Theatre. Onscreen, he plays Lt. Robert Akers, leader of the Wolfpack. He is the only actor in the current stage production that crosses mediums with the property.

Breaux was also seen as Brodie in the 2014 Broadway revival of The Real Thing, which co-starred Ewan McGregor, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Cynthia Nixon. His breakout role on the New York stage was playing a swimmer and Olympic hopeful named Ray in New York Theatre Workshop's 2016 production of Lucas Hnath's Red Speedo.

The graduate of Harvard University and The Juilliard School has also been seen on screen in American Primeval, Joe Pickett, Waco: The Aftermath, The Dead Don't Hurt, Hustlers, and Depraved. He also recently wrapped post-production on his feature directorial debut, The Reckoning.

In the interview below for the Playbill series How Did I Get Here—spotlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre—Breaux shares how he memorizes his lines while jogging in Central Park, and why he believes Stranger Things has been a success on screen and now on stage.

Where did you train/study?
Alex Breaux: Harvard University and The Juilliard School.

Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made this instructor stand out?
The mentorship and encouragement from Jamie Donohoe (Campolindo High School, California) has been instrumental in my pursuits as an actor. Jamie was my freshman football coach and English teacher two of my four years in high school. He not only taught me to be aggressive at the catch-point (on the football field), he also made literature seem cool. Jamie reminds me of John Keating, the inspirational and charismatic instructor played by Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society. He's a titan. Demanding, vibrant, personable, funny, invested in his student's development as people and critical thinkers.

He introduced me to Shakespeare and Arthur Miller—the first playwrights I'd ever read. And challenged me to perform a scene from Hamlet my senior year. Besides athletics, I'd never performed before, and it was the kindling that ignited my interest in acting.

Jamie's exuberance and appetite for truth, allowing space to fail and be uncertain, and his breathless humanity are lessons I hold close, always.

What was your process like trying to bring the Dr. Brenner of the series to the stage while making the character your own?
Step 1: Mine the text of Stranger Things: The First Shadow. What is burning inside Dr. Brenner? What is his life's work? Where does his ambition come from? Define Brenner's scientific method and delineate how it affects Henry Creel directly and indirectly.

Step 2: Re-watching Matthew Modine's performance and keying on his decision-making, temporal rhythms, gestures, communication patterns, and moral code. Season 4, Episode 8, "Papa," was a great place to start.

Step 3: Repeating, repeating, repeating the lines until they are a part of my DNA. I record all the scenes and drill lines while on my runs in Central Park. For a 6.2 mile loop, I endeavor to drill my entire track two to three times. This helps my breath control, stresses articulation, and ensures no tourists ask for directions—since I'm in running tights, muttering to myself.

Step 4: Soak my subconscious with other forms of inspiration. For Dr. Brenner, that led me to the music of Nine Inch Nails, the paintings of Francis Bacon, the texts of Carl Jung.

You will also be part of the fifth and final season of the Netflix series Stranger Things. When was that filmed, and did working on the TV series influence your work on stage or vice versa? 
I filmed all of 2024 in Atlanta for Stranger Things 5. I portray Lt. Robert Akers, leader of a special forces splinter unit—the Wolfpack—who are part of the military occupation of Hawkins, Indiana. It was a benefit to be immersed in the Strangers Things mythology when I auditioned in November 2024 for our play Stranger Things: The First Shadow. To experience the Duffers' delight in surprising audiences and architecting story firsthand helped me make strong choices as Dr. Brenner in the audition room.

Do you have a favorite moment in the stage show for Dr. Brenner? What makes that part particularly special?
This is tough—there are numerous moments of rupture and repair between Dr. Brenner and Henry Creel that I cherish. At the end of our first scene together, Henry leaps into Dr. Brenner's arms and allows himself to be held. To me, this physicality represents Henry's surrender to his confusion and emotions—a moment where he lets Dr. Brenner comfort him, carry his weight, share his burden. It's a gesture, a tableau that seems to resonate especially with parents in the audience.

Why do you think the series has been so successful on screen and now on stage?
It's the peanut butter chocolate combination of unbridled creativity, ambition, and chemistry that coexists between the countless collaborators (writers, directors, producers, actors, crew) and the optimistic message of the series: What makes you different is what makes you special. And what makes you special is your superpower.

Do you have any dream stage roles and/or actors you would like to work with?
Onstage I'd love to act opposite Kara Young and be directed by Whitney White. Ms. Young is a fearless performer, bottomless in accessing her humanity, and supremely inventive. Ms. White's work has greatly inspired me—Jaja's African Hair Braiding, Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, Liberation. She's a director, writer, musician, and performer who brings urgency to every story. To work with them would be a blessing.

Tell me about a time you almost gave up but didn’t.
I'm extremely stubborn. It's a feature and a bug. I've had tough times. Not worked. Been dropped by my agency. But if there's one thing I love about myself, it's stamina. I'm not in the business of surrendering my dreams, abandoning myself, or off-shoring my self-esteem to people's opinion of me.

What do you consider your big break?
Red Speedo by Lucas Hnath was a big moment for me in the theatre. It was my first lead in a play, and I had the pleasure of being directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz at New York Theatre Workshop. Ray—an Olympic-hopeful in swimming—provided me an opportunity to throw everything I had at a role. This "everything" included Olympic-level workouts while sparring onstage every night with a dexterous ensemble: Zoë Winters, Lucas Caleb Rooney, and Peter Jay Fernandez.

Is there a person or people you most respect in your field and why?
Christian Bale. There's a quote he gave in an interview about not doing anything half-measure in life. He skips that gear entirely. Bale's ferocity, intellect, and commitment are hallmarks I aspire to.... Force of will is rather captivating, no?

As a philanthropist, Bale is a compassionate advocate for foster kids. His most recent initiative—Together California—is building a village whose mandate is to house fostered youths with a focus of keeping siblings together who would otherwise be separated. What a beautiful mission.

Tell me about a job/opportunity you really wanted but didn’t get. How did you get over that disappointment?
Rest assured, I've embarrassed myself many times in the audition room. And countless projects have gone "in another direction" regarding casting. What gets me past it all is perspective. I'm at peace that disappointment is part of the game. Loss is okay. Stay focused on first principles. Fall in love with every character—fight to understand them, even if it's only a first-round audition. It's less disappointing if you've worked deep enough to feel like you got to "play" the character—even if only for a moment—during the audition. It lessens the sting of rejection.

What advice would you give your younger self or anyone starting out?
Get off your phone.

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Photos: Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway

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