Jon Rua

Jon Rua, born Jonathan Rua in Elizabeth, New Jersey, is an American actor, dancer, choreographer, singer, and writer. He grew up in nearby Linden, where he graduated from Linden High School in 2001 after participating in marching band and musical theatre. Rua went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Public Relations from Rutgers University, where he attended his first dance class and subsequently began teaching dance to younger students. His parents, Maria Nohelia Castañeda Cano and Elibanier "Marco" Rua, both immigrated from Colombia.

Following college, Rua joined a dance company as an unpaid commitment before transitioning into professional work in live performance and music videos. His commercial dance career included work for artists and brands such as Mariah Carey, Don Omar, Soulja Boy, Target, Billboard, Puma, Reebok, IBM, and Panasonic. He later moved into musical theatre and acting.

Rua made his Broadway debut in 2008 as a swing in Lin-Manuel Miranda's In the Heights, eventually becoming the replacement for the roles of Sonny and Graffiti Pete and serving as understudy for the leading role of Usnavi, which he stepped into on multiple occasions. He originated the role of Jesus Pena in Hands on a Hardbody and joined the original Broadway cast of Hamilton in 2015, where he originated the role of Charles Lee while also performing in the ensemble. On December 20, 2015, Rua became the third performer to portray Alexander Hamilton on Broadway, stepping into the title role as Miranda's understudy. He departed the production on June 29, 2016, and briefly returned in February 2017 as the Hamilton Alternate. His performance as part of the original cast is preserved in the Hamilton film currently streaming on Disney+. In 2025, Rua reunited with the original Hamilton cast to perform at the 78th Tony Awards. He also originated the role of Patchy the Pirate in The SpongeBob Musical on Broadway, and appeared in the televised version of that production, available on Paramount+.

Beyond performing, Rua has built a substantial career as a choreographer. He choreographed world premieres including The Unauthorized Untitled Hunter S. Thompson Musical, 3 Summers of Lincoln, and The Hombres, as well as regional productions of Macbeth, Rent, Godspell, Aida, and Jesus Christ Superstar, among other developmental workshops. He served as specialty choreographer and assistant choreographer for Broadway's The Cher Show and The SpongeBob Musical, and as assistant choreographer for the film Isn't It Romantic. In 2019–2020, Rua served as Co-Creative Director and Choreographer for Phish's New Year's Eve show at Madison Square Garden, titled Send in the Clones. He has also conceived music videos and commercials for Coheed & Cambria, Lawrence, and the New York Lotto. In 2025, Rua served as associate choreographer for the Broadway musical Boop! The Musical, which began performances on March 11 and officially opened April 5, and as choreographer for dance sequences in the Lincoln Center Theater Broadway production of Floyd Collins, which began performances on March 18 and opened April 21.

Rua's off-Broadway and regional 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 and television work includes guest and supporting roles in Smile 2, The Blacklist, Blue Bloods, and Law & Order. As an educator and movement director, Rua has led workshops at various levels, including an advanced hip-hop workshop at BroadwayCon in 2016 and a movement direction workshop in 2021 aboard the SS Neverender, a cruise organized around the band Coheed & Cambria.

Rua's work has earned numerous recognitions. He was a 2016 Tony Award winner for Best Musical and a 2016 Grammy Award winner for Best Musical Album, both for Hamilton. Additional honors include a 2025 Tony Award nomination for Best Choreography as associate choreographer of Boop! The Musical, a 2022 SDCF Breakout Award, a 2019 Chita Rivera Award nomination for film choreography for Isn't It Romantic, a 2018 Fred Astaire Award nomination for Outstanding Ensemble in SpongeBob SquarePants, a 2016 Fred Astaire Award nomination for Outstanding Ensemble in Hamilton, a 2014 Capezio Award finalist recognition for Choreographic Excellence, and a 2011 Craig Noel Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play for Somewhere at the Old Globe.