He is a nephew of the late George Nicholaw, who was the long time general manager of radio station KNX (AM) in Los Angeles, California.
His other performance credits include Billion Dollar Baby (Off-Off-Broadway), for a Musicals in Mufti concert (1998) and Bells Are Ringing at the Goodspeed Opera House (1990).
; Sinatra: His Voice, His World, His Way at Radio City Music Hall; and Candide for the New York Philharmonic's series of Broadway concerts.
The musical features songs by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen with a book by Rupert Holmes (replacing Peter Ackerman).
The show played at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California, from July 30, 2010, through August, with a cast that featured Will Chase and Amy Spanger.
[18] He directed and choreographed the West End production of the musical Dreamgirls, which opened officially on December 14, 2016, at the Savoy Theatre.
[19][20] Nicholaw directed and choreographed The Prom on Broadway, which opened November 15, 2018, at the Longacre Theatre; the musical received a New York Times Critic's Pick.