J. Mardrice is an actor, playwright, storyteller, reader of mystery books and a generally nice and witty individual. He grew up in rural North Carolina, yet he has never let his small town beginnings impede upon his BIG dreams!

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Upon graduating from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama, J. Mardrice relocated to Durham, NC where he remains active in the local theatre and film scene. In 2019, he graced National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF) main stage in a sold-out premiere of Pooled: A Gospel Musical Drama. J. Mardrice returned to the NBTF mainstage in 2022 in the role of Deacon in Samm-Art William's The Dance on Widow's Row. J. Mardrice also worked with Ted Lange (The Love Boat, That's My Mama) in a staged reading of Lange's Blues in My Coffee.

 

His work as Richard Wright in Native with Ebzb Productions has recently provided him the chance to be inducted into the Actor’s Equity Association. Native by Ian Finley, was adapted into a feature film that premiered in 2023 entitled The Problem of the Hero. The Problem of the Hero has been screened at 10 film festivals as of March 2024 and has received awards in Production Design and the Impact Award from the Naples International Film Festival.

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Reviews for J. Mardrice's performance include "...performance good enough to make a dent in independent cinema circles." (Frederico Furzan, Movie-Blogger.com); "Talentwise, Henderson...hold[s] the entire film with performance and delivery." (T. Asandkomah, GhMovieFreak); "Powered by restrained but powerful performances from J. Mardrice Henderson...the film quickly moves...to the heart of the matter." (Dallas King, FlickFeast).

 

 A review in the INDY week, written by Byron Woods quotes, "[J. Mardrice] was strong as Martin [in Fool for Love by Sam Shepard], the hapless local swain who gets caught up in this three-way, long-term emotional tug of war. He's the odd man out in a intriguing cryptogram of relationships."

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In 2023, J. Mardrice Henderson, his creative partner, Natasha A. Jackson, and a collective of theatre professionals erected Reclaiming Our Time Productions (RecTime). RecTime is a non-profit congregate of theatre professionals, whose aim is to produce and present excellence in theatre arts, education, and professional development. The organization incorporates a broad range of theatre styles to tell the stories of marginalized cultures. J. Mardrice Henderson serves in the office of Artistic Director.

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In 2024, J. Mardrice Henderson will reprise his lauded performance as Richard Wright in Native when RecTime, in partnership with North Raleigh Arts & Creative Theatre (NRACT), presents the EbzB Productions play. Tickets can be found here: https://www.nract.org/shows#/native/

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J. Mardrice has also performed in numerous indie features, new media projects and plays. His dream roles include: Walter Younger in “A Raisin in the Sun”, a biopic on the life of Louis Armstrong, and more!

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When J. isn’t acting, he’s writing his own works, podcasting, and foraying into the world of acting coach.