Jessica Rush

Jessica Rush is an American actress and singer born on December 23, 1980, in Beaumont, Texas. The daughter of performers Ken and Sara Rush, she made her stage debut at ten weeks of age, appearing opposite her father in a production of Fiddler on the Roof in the role of Motel and Tzeitel's child. She spent her childhood performing alongside her parents throughout Southeast Texas. As a teenager, Rush relocated with her family to Orlando, Florida, where she began working with Disney and Nickelodeon both on camera and in the parks. Her Disney work included portraying Belle in Beauty and the Beast at Disney World and performing with Disney Cruise Lines.

Rush built an extensive career in national and regional touring productions before establishing herself on Broadway. She played Sophie in the first U.S. national tour of Mamma Mia!, Martha Cratchit in the national tour of A Christmas Carol, and the title role in Cinderella opposite Eartha Kitt. During a period living in Los Angeles, she originated the role of Anna in the world premiere of Pilgrim. In 2007, she created the role of Lucie Manette in the world premiere of A Tale of Two Cities, a musical by Jill Santoriello, which was staged in Sarasota, Florida, though she did not continue with the production when it transferred to Broadway. Rush also played Louise in Gypsy at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, a performance for which she received the Joseph Jefferson Award in 2014.

Her Broadway career spans from 2000 to 2019 and includes productions such as Mid-Summer, Guys and Dolls, Gypsy, Cinderella, and Dear Evan Hansen. Prior to her Broadway work in Gypsy, Rush appeared Off-Broadway at City Center's Encores! as Renee in the pre-Broadway production of the show, which featured Patti LuPone, Boyd Gaines, Laura Benanti, and Leigh Ann Larkin. In March 2008, she joined the original Broadway revival cast and served as standby for the role of Louise under Benanti, a part she performed on multiple occasions. In 2009, she appeared in the Broadway revival of Guys and Dolls. Rush portrayed Lorraine in Jersey Boys at the August Wilson Theatre and remained with the production through the final performance of its eleven-year Broadway run. From 2019 to 2022, she starred as Rhonda in the Broadway production of Tina: The Musical.

On television, Rush appeared on the series White Collar and was featured on the Showtime series Billions. She is married to Broadway actor Eric Anderson, and the couple has a daughter named Elliot.