Photo Flash: Nicholas Rodriguez Brings THE FIRST TIME to Birdland

The Broadway at Birdland concert series was proud to present the NYC club debut of Nicholas Rodriguez in "The First Time," a CD release celebration. Scroll down for photos!

"The First Time..." is a concert and CD that embraces songs by theatre composers Stephen Sondheim, Frank Loesser and Rodgers & Hammerstein alongside pop hits from Joni Mitchell and Sara Bareilles. The show fuses the worlds of Broadway and pop with a performance of Phil Collins' "You'll Be in My Heart" from Tarzan, the show in which Rodriguez made his Broadway debut. The concert featured direction by T. Oliver Reid, music direction and arrangements by pianist David Budway, along with Neal Caine on bass, Donald Edwards on drums, and Ron Afif on guitar.

A portion of the proceeds from "The First Time..." benefitted the Broadway Dreams Foundation, for which Rodriguez is the Artistic Director. The Broadway Dreams Foundation is a premier performing arts education program dedicated to ongoing engagement, inspiration and access regardless of a student's ability to pay.

Photos by Jason Woodruff