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.
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.
Rua is an associate choreographer for Boop! The Musical, which started performances on March 11, 2025, and officially opened on April 5th. As well as the choreographer for dance sequences for Floyd Collins, which started performances on March 18th, 2025, and officially opened on April 21st.
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 Theatrical credits Broadway Title Role Details Notes Floyd Collins- Vivian Beaumont Theatre Choreographer Boop! The Musical- Broadhurst Theatre Associate Choreographer The Cher Show- Neil Simon Theatre Co-Choreographer for "Believe" SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical Patchy the Pirate and Ensemble (2017–2018) Palace Theatre Actor, Co-Choreographer for "WTGGT" Hamilton Charles Lee and Ensemble(2015-2016); Alexander Hamilton (s/b 2017; u/s 2015–2016) Richard Rodgers Theatre, Thomas Kail, Andy Blankenbuehler Actor Hands on a Hardbody Jesus Peña Neil Pepe, Sergio Trujillo Actor In the Heights Graffiti Pete Sonny, Usnavi (u/s) Richard Rodgers Theatre, Thomas Kail, Andy Blankenbuehler Actor
Off-Broadway Title Role Details Notes Hamilton Charles Lee / Ensemble Public Theatre/Thomas KailActor Kung Fu Matthew, Barry, Fung Fung, etc. Signature Theatre, Leigh Silverman Actor The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity Mace (understudy) Second Stage Theatre, Eddie Torres Actor In The HeightsSonny/Graffiti Pete; u/s UsnaviTommy Kail/A. BlankenbuehlerActor Damn Yankees Ensemble New York City Center, John RandoActor
Regional Title Role Details Notes Hands on a Hardbody Jesus Peña La Jolla Playhouse, Neil Pepe Actor, Choreographer3 Summers of LincolnCo-ChoreographerLa Jolla PlayhouseWorld PremierBOOP! The MusicalAssociate ChoreographerCIBC TheaterWorld PremierHunter S. Thompson MusicalChoreographerLa Jolla PlayhouseWorld PremierMacbethChoreographerOregon Shakespeare FestivalRentChoreographerOregon Shakespeare FestivalThe HombresBeto/ChoreographerTwo River TheaterWorld PremierGodspellChoreographerPOLOJesus Christ SuperstarChoreographerThe Aida Choreographer The Muny Hands on a Harbody Jesus Pena La Jolla Playhouse Actor, World Premier Somewhere Alejandro Candelaria The Old Globe, Giovanna Sardelli Actor (Craig Noel Leading Actor Nominee) Bring It On: The Musical Twig Universal Studios and Beacon Pictures, Andy Blankenbuehler World Premier West Side Story Chino The Muny, Gordon Greenberg Actor Pirates Samuel The Muny, Gordon Greenberg Actor
Film Title Role Details Notes Smile 2 Anton Directed by Parker Finn Actor Hamilton Charles Lee / Ensemble Directed by Thomas Kail Actor Fall to Rise Magic Directed by Jayce Bartok Actor First ReformedRepairman Directed by Paul Schrader Actor The Things We Do They Don't Understand Eduardo Directed by Ashley Michel Hoban Actor Isn't It Romantic Dancer Directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson Assistant Choreographer In the Heights Background vocals Directed by Jon M. Chu
Television Title Role Details Notes The Blacklist Guest-Star NBC/Dir. Bill Roe Actor Blue Bloods Guest-Star CBS/Dir. Alex Zakrzewski Actor The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage Krabby Patty Nickelodeon Actor Law & Order: "Bailout" Co-Star NBC Universal, Dir. Jean De Segonzac Actor Celebrity Wife Swap Self ABC Network Choreographer Marcy Place feat. Don Omar Co-Star Orfanato Music Group, Chor. Bam Bam Actor Verizon Commercial Security Guard National Television Actor
Stage and concerts Title Role Details Notes Lawrence Choreographer, Dancer Terminal 5 performance of "More"T.A.B.Creative Director/ChoreographerThe Beacon Jams 2020The Beacon TheaterPhishChoreographer, DancerFall Tour 2013, Atlantic City Mariah Carey Dancer NBC Universal, Chor. Bam Bam Dancer Soulja Boy Dancer Chor. Mark Martinez, YouTube NYC Dancer
Commercials and music videos Title Role Details NotesOld FlamesChoreographer, DancerRoadrunner Records, Coheed and CambriaMusic Video Hands on a Hardbody Jesus Peña LSerino, Coyne Productions Actor, Commercial Bring It On: The Musical Twig Universal Studios and Beacon Pictures Commercial Marcy Place feat. Don Omar Dancer, Featured Actor Orfanato Music Group, Chor. Bam Bam Music Video Target Industrial Principal Dancer, Actor Dir: Vivian Rosenthal Industrial In the Heights Dancer Bunker Prod. Co., Warren Fischer Broadway Commercial Readings and Workshops Title Role Details Eighty Sixed Richard Sam Salmond, Jeremy KingRivers/Cross: What Becomes An Urban Legend Most?OscarLonny Price, David Parr Magic Mike Tito Brian Yorkey, Tom Kitt American Pop As cast New York Stage & Film, Michael Friedman The Solid Sand Below Flores Atlantic Theatre Company, Martin Zimmerman Queen of the Stardust Ballroom Fernando Jerry Mitchell, Marvin Hamlisch Ever After Gustave Dir. Susan V. Booth Bread and Roses Ruben NYMF FESTIVAL 2016 Hamilton As Cast, Jefferson/Burr Public Theater/Dir. Tommy Kail Hands on a Hardbody Jesus Neil Pepe, Doug Wright Kingdom Andres Public Theater Fly Lotty Jeffrey Seller, Bill Sherman Paperdolls JiorgioSundance Theater, Mark Brokaw Stuck Elevator/Like Water for Chocolate Principal Sundance Theater Lab Bare Lucas Stafford Arima, Lynne Shanke
References