Max von Essen

Life and career

Raised on Long Island, von Essen is a graduate of South Side High School in Rockville Centre, New York. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and after graduation toured with Liza Minnelli. He is a member of the Von Essen family, who are part of the German and Swedish nobility. A son of Rita and Thomas Von Essen, who was the New York City Fire Commissioner during the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, he is the youngest of four children. He is openly gay.

He toured Europe in West Side Story and was a cast member of the U.S. national tour of Chicago. He made his Broadway debut in Jesus Christ Superstar in 2000 as Disciple and Jesus of Nazareth understudy. He appeared in Les Misérables on Broadway as the replacement for Fauchelevent and other roles, and starred in Dance of the Vampires alongside Michael Crawford in 2002. He played the role of student revolutionary leader Enjolras (replacement) in the Les Misérables Broadway revival in 2006 at the Broadhurst Theater.

In 2006, he was a soloist at the biggest Andrew Lloyd Webber musical gala to date, held in Tallinn, Estonia. He performed in the national tour of Xanadu as "Sonny" in 2008 and in the Roundabout Theater Company Off-Broadway production of Maury Yeston's Death Takes a Holiday at the Laura Pels Theatre in 2011. In 2015, von Essen played the role of Parisian aristocrat Henri in the Broadway production of An American in Paris, for which he received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical nomination.

Film and television

Theatre credits

Broadway

Source: Internet Broadway Database

National and international tours

Off-Broadway

Regional

Awards and nominations

Source: IBDB

References

References

1. Weiner, Iris (January 22, 2016). [http://lipulse.com/2016/01/22/from-rockville-centre-to-paris/ "From Rockville Centre To Paris"]. ''Long Island Pulse Magazine''. {{dead link. (November 2023)
2. [http://www.broadway.com/buzz/max-von-essen/ "Broadway Buzz"]. {{dead link. (December 2017)
3. (25 October 2012). "Trickle-Down Bullying".
4. "Jesus Christ Superstar".
5. "Les Misérables – Broadway Musical – Original".
6. "Dance of the Vampires – Broadway Musical – Original".
7. The Broadway League. "Les Misérables – Broadway Musical – 2006 Revival".
8. Gans, Andrew (September 22, 2008). [https://www.playbill.com/article/broadways-stanley-and-von-essen-will-head-cast-of-xanadu-tour-com-153341# "Broadway's Stanley and Von Essen Will Head Cast of 'Xanadu' Tour"]. ''[[Playbill]]''.
9. Isherwood, Charles (July 21, 2011). [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/22/theater/reviews/death-takes-a-holiday-at-laura-pels-theater-review.html "Set Aside That Scythe, and Let's Put on a Show"]. ''[[The New York Times]]''.
10. "An American in Paris – Broadway Musical – Original".
11. Gans, Andrew (September 22, 2008). [https://www.playbill.com/article/broadways-stanley-and-von-essen-will-head-cast-of-xanadu-tour-com-153341# "Broadway's Stanley and Von Essen Will Head Cast of ''Xanadu'' Tour"]. ''Playbill''.
12. Gans, Andrew (March 20, 2019). [https://www.playbill.com/article/national-tour-of-falsettos-starring-max-von-essen-nick-adams-eden-espinosa-opens-march-20-in-san-francisco# "National Tour of ''Falsettos'', Starring Max von Essen, Nick Adams, Eden Espinosa, Opens March 20 in San Francisco"]. ''Playbill''.
13. Sommer, Elyse (October 14, 1999). [http://www.curtainup.com/fantasticks.html "A CurtainUp Review. 'Fantasticks'"]. ''CurtainUp''.
14. Jones, Kenneth (March 11, 2004). [https://www.playbill.com/article/von-essen-to-sing-old-devil-moon-freeman-is-finian-in-irish-rep-rainbow-adaptation-com-118418# "Von Essen to Sing "Old Devil Moon," Freeman Is Finian in Irish Rep Rainbow Adaptation"]. ''Playbill''.
15. [https://www.lortel.org/Archives/Production/5206 ''Death Takes a Holiday'']. ''Lortel Theatre''. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
16. [https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/news-features/death-takes-a-holiday-full-cast-announced ''Death Takes a Holiday'']. ''New York Theatre Guide.'' Retrieved November 27, 2017.
17. Jones, Kenneth (March 20, 2011). [https://www.playbill.com/article/fleshly-hello-again-with-alan-campbell-elizabeth-stanley-max-von-essen-opens-off-broadway-com-177380# "Fleshly 'Hello Again', With Alan Campbell, Elizabeth Stanley, Max von Essen, Opens Off-Broadway"]. ''Playbill''.
18. Gans, Andrew (January 26, 2017). [https://www.playbill.com/article/max-von-essen-stars-in-off-broadways-yours-unfaithfully-opening-jan-26# "Max Von Essen Stars in Off-Broadway's 'Yours Unfaithfully', Opening Jan. 26"]. ''Playbill''.
19. [http://totaltheater.com/?q=node/1218 ''Blood Brothers'']. ''TotalTheater.com''. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
20. Lohrey, David. [http://www.curtainup.com/myfairladypapermill.html "Review"]. ''CurtainUp''. June 7, 2002.
21. Rawson, Christopher (July 9, 2003). [http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030709myfair0709p4.asp "Stage Review: CLO's 'Fair Lady' is truly fine fare"]. ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.{{dead link. (November 2023)
22. [[Robert Simonson. Simonson, Robert]] (July 14, 2004). [https://www.playbill.com/article/charles-busch-auntie-mame-makes-second-summer-stop-at-bay-street-theatre-july-14-com-120842# "Charles Busch 'Auntie Mame' Makes Second Summer Stop, at Bay Street Theatre, July 14"]. ''Playbill''.
23. Rizzo, Frank (July 1, 2004). [https://variety.com/2004/legit/reviews/auntie-mame-1200532479/ "Review. 'Auntie Mame'"]. ''[[Variety (magazine). Variety]]''.
24. Gans, Andrew (June 15, 2004). [https://www.playbill.com/article/norm-lewis-max-von-essen-sarah-uriarte-berry-and-more-featured-in-sacramento-music-circus-summer-season-com-120343# "Norm Lewis, Max von Essen, Sarah Uriarte Berry and More Featured in Sacramento Music Circus Summer Season"]. ''Playbill''.
25. Hirschhorn, Joel (November 2, 2004). [https://variety.com/2004/legit/markets-festivals/dorian-1200529761/ "Reviews. ''Dorian'' "] ''Variety''.
26. Gans, Andrew (March 2, 2005). [https://www.playbill.com/article/von-essen-to-star-in-kander-and-ebbs-cabaret-com-124467# "Von Essen to Star in Kander and Ebb's 'Cabaret'"]. ''Playbill''.
27. Gans, Andrew (April 13, 2005). [https://www.playbill.com/article/the-bakers-wife-begins-performances-at-paper-mill-playhouse-april-13-com-125272# " 'The Baker's Wife' Begins Performances at Paper Mill Playhouse April 13"]. ''Playbill''.
28. (December 5, 2005). "Pasquale, Chase, Benanti, Arden, Von Essen, Keenan-Bolger and Gettelfinger Enter ''The Secret Garden'' Dec. 5".
29. Simonson, Robert; Gans, Andrew (May 27, 2006). [https://www.playbill.com/article/new-mame-starring-christine-baranski-begins-at-kennedy-center-may-27-com-132796# "New 'Mame', Starring Christine Baranski, Begins at Kennedy Center May 27"]. ''Playbill''.
30. Gans, Andrew (October 24, 2006). [https://www.playbill.com/article/tuts-west-side-story-with-max-von-essen-begins-oct-24-com-135761# "TUTS' 'West Side Story', with Max von Essen, Begins Oct. 24"]. ''Playbill''.
31. Hetrick, Adam (August 5, 2008). [https://www.playbill.com/article/west-side-story-dances-into-pittsburgh-clo-aug-5-com-152154# " 'West Side Story' Dances Into Pittsburgh CLO Aug. 5"]. ''Playbill''.
32. Lipton, Brian Scott (July 21, 2008). [http://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/news/07-2008/jacoby-murray-von-essen-et-al-set-for-sacramento-m_14619.html "Jacoby, Murray, von Essen, et al. Set for Sacramento Music Circus' 'Sweeney Todd'"]. ''TheaterMania''.
33. [https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/max-von-essen-76186#awards "Von Essen Awards"]. ''IBDB''. Retrieved November 26, 2017.