Don’t Miss Nicholas Rodriguez at the Signature Theater, July 17th
Summer is often a slow time in the theater for D.C. audiences but this summer will be different. Opportunities abound for good plays and good music. One opportunity that I urge you to take advantage of is the chance to see and hear Nicholas Rodriguez on July 17th. At that time metro Washington will get to see a new side of Rodriguez when he brings his show The First Tim e… to the Signature Theater in Arlington for one night only. He will be joined by guest artist and Signature Theater star Nova Y. Payton who has thrilled audiences there as Effie White in Dreamgirls and as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray. Nicholas explores life, love and loss through an intimate evening featuring new interpretations of songs from the world of pop, jazz, folk and musical theater. If you have never heard Nicholas sing you are in for a real treat and an evening to remember.
I recently had the chance to meet and hear Nicholas when he performed as the special guest at a fundraiser for Congressman Mike Michaud(D-Maine) who is running for Governor in Maine. That is the kind of thing Nicholas is known to do. When he is not on stage in a show Nicholas is the Artistic Director of the Broadway Dreams Foundation faculty (www.mybroadwaydreams.com), volunteers for The Harvey Milk School in New York City, and SMYAL in Washington, DC. I first ran into Nicholas when he was presented with the 2011 Outstanding Community Ally Award by SMYAL. Nicholas is an all-around nice guy and the fact that he has been recognized as having one of the best voices in theater today and is drop-dead gorgeous are really only extra benefits.
Some of you may know Nicholas from his role as Nick Chavez on ABC’s “One Life to Live” for which he received the GLAAD Media Award, the 2009 Visibility Award, and, along with his co-stars “Men of the Year.” Or you may have seen him in his Carnegie Hall debut in a one night only concert version of Guys and Dolls starring Nathan Lane, Megan Mullaly and Len Cariou.
Washington audiences have gotten to appreciate Nicholas when he starred opposite Kathleen Turner in Mother Courage and Her Children at Arena Stage where he recently played Freddy in My Fair Lady and was also seen as Curly in Oklahoma! for which he received a 2011 Helen Hayes Award for “Best Actor in a Musical”. Audiences around the world have seen Nicholas in tours of Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus), Evita (Che), and Hair (Claude).
For an enjoyable night in the theater I urge you get tickets, only $25, and not miss Nicholas Rodriguez at the Signature Theater on July 17th as part of their Sizzlin’ Summer Nights series.