Sincerely, Sondheim

Since his death in 2021 at 91, Stephen Sondheim has been widely celebrated for his extraordinary legacy of music and lyrics. Shows such as Company, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George are part of the canon that made him one of the towering musical figures of the 20^th century.

Less well-known is that Sondheim was a prolific letter writer. Now Nicolas Rodriguez, recently seen in the revival of Company, has pulled together handwritten letters from Sondheim to fans and colleagues and woven stories and songs together in “A Love Letter” to the late composer.

In his show, Rodriguez explores the fascinating relationships Sondheim had with Oscar Hammerstein II, his mentor, Jerry Herman, Jonathan Larson and Lin-Manuel Miranda. He also tells Sondheim’s own story, as seen in his own words.

Nicholas Rodriguez, who has been described as “the quintessential leading man,” has had an extensive career on Broadway, film and the concert stage. Seen in the Broadway revival of Company opposite Patti Lupone and Katrina Lenk, he also toured the United States as Captain Georg von Trapp in The Sound of Music. The performer made his Broadway debut in the Disney production of Tarzan. Off-Broadway, he starred in The Toxic Avenger: The Musical, Almost Heaven: Songs of John Denver, Death for Five Voices, Colette Collage, and Bajour. He has also appeared in world tours of Jesus Christ Superstar as Jesus, Evita as Che Guevara, and Hair as Claude.

Rodriguez has appeared opposite Kathleen Turner in Mother Courage and Her Children at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., where he also played Billy Bigelow in Carousel and received a Helen Hayes nomination, Sebastian in the world premiere of Destiny of Desire, Freddy in My Fair Lady, where he received another Helen Hayes nomination, Fabrizio in Light in the Piazza, and Curly in Oklahoma! for which he won a Helen Hayes Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

He has been a soloist with many symphonies across the world, including the Beijing Philharmonic, Orlando Philharmonic, Nashville Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic, North Carolina Symphony and Arkansas Symphony. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in a one-night-only concert version of Guys and Dolls, starring Nathan Lane, Megan Mullaly and Len Cariou.

The actor is perhaps best known for the role of Nick Chavez on ABC’s One Life to Live, for which he received the GLAAD Media Award and, with his co-stars, “Men of the Year.”

The Texas native has a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Music from the University of Texas and serves as artistic director for the Broadway Dreams Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting training, mentoring and career opportunities in musical theater for aspiring performing arts students.

Don’t miss a night of good music and storytelling. You'll be in good “Company.”