J.R. Yenque

Yenque was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Son of New York veteran actress Teresa Yenque (30 Rock, Law & Order, The Affair) Yenque grew up in the New York theater scene since the age of 8 yrs old. While attending City-as-School High School he received a scholarship to Ballet Hispanico of N.Y. Yenque also trained extensively in several New York theater companies and schools. He then toured internationally in 'West Side Story' where he received rave reviews for his portrayal of "Bernardo" before moving to Los Angeles. At the age of 14 years, Yenque's life was turned around by the transformative power of art when his mother enrolled him in his first acting workshop that helped him go from a shy, 230lbs young man who stuttered, to a confident and gifted actor, at home on the stage and comfortable with himself. Thanks to this life-changing experience, Yenque has a passion for helping teens make it through those sometimes-difficult years, using art together with therapy as a vehicle for development of coping/life skills and self-confidence. In 2014 Yenque founded Arts for a Better Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization with solid human development programs for youth in underserved communities and orphanages in Los Angeles, California and Tijuana, Mexico. As Founder of Arts for a Better Tomorrow, a supporter of and frequent collaborator with higher education, Jose Yenque has presented at several major academic conferences, including the Association for Theatre in Higher Education, and the International Association for Language Learning Technology. Yenque has over a decade of experience as a professional actor and devoted humanitarian, which earned him an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from California State University San Marcos. He aims to continue inspiring others, particularly today's youth, with his work both on and off screen.