Rua was the choreographer for the 2016 Muny production of Aida in St. Louis, and a creative consultant for the 2016 musical SpongeBob SquarePants, joining its Broadway cast in 2017.
Early life
Rua was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey and grew up in nearby Linden.[3] 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 musical theatre program and began dancing socially.[4] 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 dancing 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, and dancing for concerts. He then transitioned into musical theatre and acting.[5]
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.[6] He stepped into the leading role of Usnavi several times as understudy.[6]
As an original Broadway cast member of Hamilton in 2015, Rua originated the role of Charles Lee and performed in the ensemble. On December 20, 2015, Rua became the third performer to take on the title role of Alexander Hamilton on Broadway, as Miranda's understudy.[6] Rua left Hamilton on June 29, 2016,[7] and briefly returned in February 2017 as an alternate for Jevon McFerrin in the title role, after Javier Muñoz took temporary leave due to injury.[8]
Rua has been a contributing choreographer for such projects as Hamilton, On Your Feet!, Flashdance, Hands on a Hardbody, Bring It On: The Musical, In the Heights, Insanity and NYCC's The Wiz. He has also been credited as a choreographer in productions in which he appeared as an actor.[9] In 2014, Rua was a finalist for the Capezio Award for Choreographic Excellence.[10]
His television credits include the role of Ricky in "Confessions", a 2016 episode of the CBS police procedural drama Blue Bloods. He also appeared in the televised version of the SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, which is currently on the Paramount+ streaming app.
Rua is an associate choreographer for Boop! The Musical,[11] which started performances on March 11, 2025, and officially opened on April 5th.[12]
Educator / Movement Director
Rua lives in New York City, where he teaches at the Broadway Dance Center.[citation needed] Outside of the Broadway Dance Center, 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.[citation needed] Rua also led an advanced hip hop workshop at BroadwayCon in 2016.[citation needed]
Other Choreographer / Assisting / Teaching Credits
Hamilton as Assistant to the Choreographer
Hands on a Hardbody as Assistant to the Choreographer
FlashDance as Assistant to the Choreographer
Bring It On The Musical as Assistant to the Choreographer
The Wiz-NYCC as Assistant to the Choreographer
In The Heights as Assistant to the Choreographer
Insanity as Assistant to the Choreographer
International Seminar of Dance as Assistant to the Choreographer as HipHop Instructor/Choreographer
Genctur Youth Camp as Dance Instructor in Istanbul, Turkey
Awards and recognitions
In 2016, Rua was nominated for an Astaire Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show for Hamilton.[13]
Rua received a ceremonial plate for artistic achievements as a local native, presented by the mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey during a July 8, 2016 appearance in the "Young Immigrant Hamilton Tour," part of the city's annual "CelebrateHAMILTON" program.[14][15]
Other awards:
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)
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
2014 nominee Capezio A.C.E. Awards for Choreographic Excellence
2011 nominee Craig Noel Awards for Excellence in Theatre Nomination for Leading Actor
In 2021 Rua was a guest on the SS Neverender, a cruise for the band Coheed & Cambria, where he led choreography lessons for the cruise attendees to the song In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3.
↑ Iati, Marisa (July 13, 2016). "Hamilton star talks Broadway and his N.J. roots". NJ.com. NJ Advance Media. Retrieved August 29, 2017. Rua chatted with a full house in Elizabeth last week about how his childhood in Union County inspires and shapes his push to create theater, music and dance that strike audience members at their core. Rua, now 32, was born in Elizabeth and grew up in Linden.
↑ Ross, Ruth (July 8, 2013). "Linden is In The Heights with Mystic Vision Players". NJ Arts Maven. Retrieved August 29, 2017. Jon Rua, who recently originated the role of Jesus Peña on Broadway in Hands on a Hardbody, graduated from Linden High School in 2001 and went on to appear in the ensemble of the premiere off-Broadway production of In The Heights.
↑ "Jon Rua". Dancers of New York. November 6, 2015.
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