Jon Rua (born Jonathan Rua) is an American actor, dancer, choreographer, singer, and writer, best known for his roles in Broadway musicals such as Hamilton, In the Heights, The SpongeBob Musical, and Hands on a Hardbody.
Rua was the choreographer for dance sequences in the 2025 Lincoln Center Theater Broadway production of Floyd Collins and served as an associate choreographer for the 2025 Broadway musical Boop! the Musical.
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Early life
Rua was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey and grew up in nearby Linden. His parents, Maria Nohelia Castañeda Cano and Elibanier "Marco" Rua, were both immigrants from Colombia.
Rua graduated in 2001 from Linden High School, where he participated in the marching band and musical theatre. He received a B.A. in Communication and Public Relations from Rutgers University. During Rua's college years, he attended his first dance class, and later started teaching dance to younger students.
Career
After college, Rua joined a dance company as an unpaid commitment, and eventually became a professional dancer doing live performance, music video work. He danced for Mariah Carey, Don Omar, Soulja Boy, Target, Billboard, Puma, Reebok, IBM, and Panasonic. Rua then transitioned into musical theatre and acting.
Rua made his Broadway debut in 2008 as a swing in Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical In the Heights, later becoming the replacement for Sonny and Graffiti Pete. He stepped into the leading role of Usnavi several times as understudy.
As an original Broadway cast member of Hamilton in 2015, Rua originated the role of Charles Lee and performed in the ensemble, which he plays in the Hamilton movie on Disney+. On December 20, 2015, Rua became the third performer to take on the title role of Alexander Hamilton on Broadway, as Miranda's understudy. Rua left Hamilton on June 29, 2016, and briefly returned in February 2017 again as the understudy. Jon also originated the roles of 'Jesus Pena' in Hands on a Hardbody and 'Patchy the Pirate' in The SpongeBob Musical. Rua's off-Broadway and regional theater credits include: The Hombres, ¿ Kung Fu, Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Somewhere, West Side Story, Pirates, In the Heights, and Damn Yankees at NYCC Encores.
His film & television credits include guest star and supporting roles in Smile 2, The Blacklist, Blue Bloods, Law & Order. He also appeared in the televised version of the SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, which is currently on the Paramount+ streaming app. In 2025, Rua joined the original cast of Hamilton to perform on the 78th Tony Awards.
Rua's choreographer career has focused on originating new work as well as reinvigorating past musicals. He has choreographed the world premieres of The Unauthorized Untitled Hunter S. Thompson Musical, 3 Summers of Lincoln, The Hombres, as well as regional producer for Macbeth, Rent, Godspell, Aida, Jesus Christ Superstar, amongst other workshops of developmental musicals. He worked as the specialty choreographer/assistant for Broadway's The Cher Show and The SpongeBob Musical, as well as the rom-com Isn't it Romantic.
Rua became a co-creative director, and a choreographer for PHISH New Year's Eve Show at Madison Square Garden in 2019-2020 with 'Send in the Clones'. He has also made music videos and commercials for Coheed & Cambria ("Old Flames"), Lawrence ('More"), and the New York Lotto.
Educator/"movement director" career
Rua teaches dancers of all levels through workshops. Most recently, Rua put on a dance workshop in 2021 as a "movement director" on the SS Neverender, a cruise for the band Coheed & Cambria, to the song In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3. Rua also led an advanced hip hop workshop at BroadwayCon in 2016.
Awards and recognitions
Other awards:
2025 nominee Tony Awards for Best Choreography for Boop! The Musical as an Associate Choreographer
2022 SDCF Breakout Award
2019 nominee Chita Rivera Awards for Film Nominations as Assistance Choreographer in "Isn't it Romantic"
2018 nominee Fred Astaire Awards for Outstanding Ensemble in SpongeBob SquarePants
2016 nominee Fred Astaire Awards for Outstanding Ensemble in Hamilton
2016 Winner Tony Awards for Best Musical for Hamilton
2016 Winner Grammy Awards for Best Musical Album for Hamilton
2014 finalist for the Capezio Award for Choreographic Excellence
2011 nominee for the Craig Noel Award for "Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Male" in Somewhere (Old Globe)
Credits
Commercials and music videos
Readings and Workshops
