Comedian Poppy Champlin and Broadway Performer Nicholas Rodriguez Will Come To Theatre By The Sea

Theatre By The Sea will welcome comedian and singer Poppy Champlin and Broadway performer Nicholas Rodriguez to Theatre By The Sea on Friday, July 16 and Saturday, July 17 as part of the 2021 Summer Concert Series. Ms. Champlin, who co-hosted the Late Night Cabaret in 2019, returns to TBTS with her new show On the Funny Side of the Street. Mr. Rodriguez, who will be making his debut at the historic barn theatre, will perform his latest concert, All is Fair in Love, which features an evening of love songs.

Poppy Champlin knows how to make people laugh! A graduate of the University of Rhode Island with a BFA in Theatre, Poppy moved to Chicago and attended the Second City Improv Training Center. With her upbeat personality and quick wit, she is able to seamlessly transition from comically discussing everyday issues to improvising with anyone in the audience. She is also known for belting out silly and fun song parodies. Ms. Champlin won the title of America's funniest real woman on "The Joan Rivers Show" and appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." She has also appeared on VH-1, A&E, Showtime and LOGO, and was a feature story on "Entertainment Tonight." Also a producer and internationally known comedian, Poppy personally hand picks the comedians she invites to join her in each venue as "The Queer Queens of Qomedy." She has worked hard to get where she is and more than deserves each and every laugh she receives. "I wasn't always this good," she said modestly. "Starting out as a comedian you're not going to be very good. It takes time and practice." Regarding her appearance at Theatre By The Sea, Miss Champlin said, "This feels like a milestone to me. I mean I grew up in Rhode Island and I actually worked in the box office at TBTS when I was 15, and then worked in the costume shop. I was also in one of the children's shows, Princess and the Pea. I was princess #12! I am now living in Perryville - touring, teaching, and gardening and I just landed my own show at Theatre ByThe Sea!!"

Nicholas Rodriguez has had an extensive career on Broadway (Tarzan), in National Tours, on Regional Theatre and Concert Stages, as well as on screen in film (Sex and the City 2) and television. He recently toured the U.S. as Captain Georg Von Trapp in The Sound of Music directed by Jack O'Brien. Nicholas' debut album, based on his one-man show of the same name, The First Time..., fuses his love of theatre with the music of jazz, blues, folk and pop. Mr. Rodriguez made his Broadway debut in Disney's 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's also traveled the world on tours of Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus), Evita (Che), and Hair (Claude). Nicholas starred opposite Kathleen Turner in Mother Courage and Her Children at Arena Stage, where he also played Billy Bigelow in Carousel (Helen Hayes nom.), Sebastian in the world premiere of Destiny of Desire, Freddy in My Fair Lady (Helen Hayes nom.), Fabrizio in The Light in the Piazza, and Curly in Oklahoma!, for which he received a 2011 Helen Hayes Award for "Best Actor in a Musical" and was named "Top 10 Performers of 2010" by Hilton Als of The New Yorker. Regional credits include Guys and Dolls (Sky Masterson), Beauty and the Beast (Beast), Camelot (Lancelot), Les Misérables (Javert), Oklahoma! (Curly), Damn Yankees (Joe Hardy), The Ten Commandments (Aaron) with Val Kilmer, South Pacific (Joe Cable), The King & I as Lun Tha with Lou Diamond Phillips, Nefertiti (Akhenaten), Cinderella (Prince Charming), The Last Five Years, Candide with Harrisburg Opera, Love, Valour, Compassion! (Ramon), and Master Class (Tony). He made his Carnegie Hall debut in a one night only concert version of Guys and Dolls directed by Jack O'Brien and starring Nathan Lane, Megan Mullaly and Len Cariou. Nicholas is perhaps best known for the role of Nick Chavez on ABC's "One Life to Live." He also appeared on "Madam Secretary" (CBS). His solo shows have enjoyed sold out runs at Birdland, Orlando Cabaret Festival, The MUNY, Signature Theatre, ZACH Theatre, and many others. He has performed at Radio City Music Hall, 54 Below, Feinstein's, Birdland, and the Metropolitan Room in NYC.

On the Funny Side of the Street with Poppy Champlin will be at Theatre By The Sea on Friday, July 16 at 8:00 pm. Nicholas Rodiguez in All is Fair in Love will be at Theatre By The Sea on Saturday, July 17 at 8:00 pm. Additional performances for the 2021 Summer Concert Series will take place on July 23, 24, 30 and 31 at 8:00 pm. The theatre is located at 364 Cards Pond Road, Wakefield. Tickets are $29 - $52 (additional fees may apply). Discount rates are available for groups of 10 or more by calling (401) 782-3800 x112. Tickets are currently on sale online 24-hours-a-day at www.theatrebythesea.com and via telephone from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Mon. through Sat. by calling (401) 782-TKTS (8587).