How Is Max von Essen Doing As "Che" During Ricky's Vacation-Absence?- Page 2

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 2:09pm

"I just can't understand why a shirtless Che scene was not added for this production."

Because Ricky is at his "between records and video shoots" weight. He's not training heavily like he does before a record drops. He wanted to look like an "everyman" and not a "latino hearthrob." Alas, no skin.

Plus after seeing Max's taint in "Hello Again" I really dont need to see him shirtless. :)

[dreaming]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 2:13pm

Can someone verify that Max Von Essen will be on tomorrow night? (I am going to see him.)

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 2:31pm

I think it's somewhat of an insult to the many other talented women who've played this role before (Elaine Paige, LuPone, to the many women who've done it on tour or regionally) to suggest that for the first time there's a performer playing the role that "acts" the role. The implication being that Paige, LuPone, et. all did nothing more than stand center stage and belt all night long.

It's the same insult that was hurled at Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno, Barbara Luna and Debbie Allen, when they said that Anita had never been acted before until Karen Olivo.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 2:33pm

Max showed his taint in Hello Again? What scene was this?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 3:32pm

During "Hello Again" there were love scenes that were done surrounded by audience members in the experimental staging. The male actors pulled their pants down during them. The nudity was discreet if you were at a distance but if you were sitting at the table were the actors were getting busy you saw more than you probably should.

That show was fantastic and one of my favorite theatre experiences ever and not just because of the taint.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 4:04pm

Bettyboy, I was at the taint table also for HELLO AGAIN, it was a thrilling experience. And I loved that production too.

At a recent charity event I happen to get into an elevator with the Rickster, just the Rickster, he looked in fine shape. I almost spoke but he was texting the whole 2 floor trip. Damn technology.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 4:09pm

Well, as Ella sang,

Taint what you do--it's the way that cha do it,
Taint what you do--it's the way that cha do it,
Taint what you do--it's the way that cha do it,
That's what gets results!

http://youtu.be/X8fCXNTCWig?t=1m20s

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 4:25pm

It don't mean a thing, if taint got that swing.

[tphiliboy152]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 4:35pm

"Can someone verify that Max Von Essen will be on tomorrow night? (I am going to see him.)"

He is scheduled for all of the shows this week except for 7/8/12 (Daniel Torres will be on then)

Updated On: 7/6/12 at 04:35 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 6:23pm

With this week's performance schedule slightly off due to the holiday, does anyone know if Christina is still going on tomorrow for the matinee? and will she be doing either of the two Sunday shows?

I was told that DeCicco is doing tomorrow's matinee and the Sunday evening show.

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 7:49pm

I saw Max perform last night and thought he was fantastic. The best part of the show, easily. Granted, it also marked my first time seeing 'Evita,' so I can't compare him with Ricky Martin, but I can say that Max had charm, swagger, a killer voice and could act the part, to boot.

Shame I didn't get to see Christina. After last night I have no interest in seeing Elena Roger on Broadway ever again.

Updated On: 7/6/12 at 07:49 PM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/6/12 at 11:19pm

Funny. I never want to see it WITHOUT Elena. From the moment she walked on stage, I couldn't keep my eyes off her. Even when she wasn't in the forefront. A thrilling performance.

[bwaysouth]

Posted: 7/7/12 at 12:26am

I went tonight -- my first time seeing Evita, so I haven't seen Ricky Martin in the role. I loved the show. I love the score for Evita, and I thought the staging for this production was lovely. Many people in the audience around me seemed to be upset that Ricky Martin wasn't in the show. I don't know where they got their tickets, but they acted surprised that no one had informed them that he wouldn't be there until they got the note in the Playbill. At intermission, one woman went to an usher to complain, and a couple a few seats down from me flagged down one of the program-sellers to complain. He took them to the house manager. Not sure what exactly happened, but they did come back at some point during the second act.

Again, I loved the show. I thought Max von Essen was fine and had a great voice, although I think it's curious (based on what I have read here) that both he and Ricky don't give more "angry" portrayals than they do. The lyrics are so scathing in many places, and the presentation of Che is rarely so...the exception being "And the Money Kept Rolling In," which easily got the biggest applause of any number of the night. I loved Elena Roger. I agree that her voice isn't always the strongest, but she did act the part flawlessly, appearing cunning and then vulnerable. I also loved the dancing, and there was much more of that than I expected going in.

One of the best times I've had at the theater in a while, although I must say that audience reaction was muted. People were grumbling at intermission about Elena's voice, her accent (which was rarely a problem for me) and her looks (which I don't really understand -- she's beautiful in every scene of this). Maybe people were just angry about not seeing Ricky Martin, but it was a strange reaction.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 7/7/12 at 1:16am

Volleyballer, I was at EVITA last night, too. Very glad I saw the wonderful Max Von Essen, whose talents I've admired since seeing him in THE BAKER'S WIFE at the Paper Mill years ago. I had heard that ticket sales were slow during Ricky Martin's vacation so was surprised to see a full house, at least in the orchestra. I also couldn't understand most of what Elena Rogers was saying. She was fine on the lower notes, and I thought she nailed the characterization, but oh, those high screechy notes were killers! And not in a good way. That made me wish I'd seen LuPone (and the marvelous Mandy P.) in the original.

[nicnyc]

Posted: 7/7/12 at 3:03am

Tonight was my 3rd time at Evita - and I specifically came back again to see Max von Essen play Che - since i loved his Magaldi and thought he was also wonderful in Death Takes a Holiday. It was a real treat and I am so glad I got to see him. I thought he was really fantastic (I greatly preferred his performance to Ricky Martin's) and Constantine Germanacos was on as Magaldi and was also extremely enjoyable.

The production is amazing in the way they have developed the Juan/Eva relationship - and Michael Cerveris is brilliant as Peron. I could literally watch him play Peron every night and be really happy - I find the new layers he has added to the character fascinating. I really enjoyed Elena Roger as Evita (I saw her my 1st & 3rd time). She is such a little dynamo and firecracker and very convincing as the fierce force of nature that any successful Eva must be. Yes, the accent is heavy at times and her voice is thin on a couple notes - but the performance and unbelievably specific and layered characterization more than make up for it.

I would definitely recommend seeing Max Von Essen play Che (if you aren't a Ricky Martin fan). I'll likely go back to see it again when he is in during Ricky's August vacation (yes, the show - with the right cast - is totally worth seeing 4 times).

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 7/7/12 at 7:29am

Would someone mention the stage dooring during Ricky's absence? In the first preview, Max was delightful in signing Playbills and taking pictures with fans. from RC in Austin, Texas

[Dangerous Jade]

Posted: 7/7/12 at 2:35pm

^ Stagedoor was wonderful! Not a lot of people and whoever was there was a fan of the show and not the stuntcasting. Max was very sweet and took a picture with me and I also got to meet the official backstage puppy.

Updated On: 7/7/12 at 02:35 PM

[dshnookie]

Posted: 7/7/12 at 5:08pm

I've just returned from seeing Christina and Max, and noticed something that was done a little differently by Michael Cerveris.

I guess spoiler alert ***

When I saw it last month and Eva faints after proclaiming how she'll be a great Vice President, Michael runs and drops to her side and screams a very dramatic NOOOO but this afternoon, he did not. I was wondering which tends to be the norm. I preferred his reaction this afternoon, it was more believable and poignant.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 7/7/12 at 7:11pm

I also saw today's matinee and have to agree with dshnookie about the fainting scene; I preferred it today.


But over, WOW! What a difference! I almost left at intermission the last time I saw it but I really enjoyed myself this time.

Max... excellent. His high notes were phenomenal. So, so good. But I have to rant about Christina.... I LOVED her as Eva. I know many have been calling her cold, but I liked that. I found that I didn't really hate Elena's Eva which stopped me from ultimately missing her. Sure, Elena's was intimidating as hell. But Christina's Eva pissed me off, and had me agree with Che, but by the end of the show, I was on Eva's side.

Christina brought Eva full circle for me, which is something I missed last time. Also, she has a beautiful voice.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/7/12 at 11:41pm

I saw the show this evening.

Max did about as well as he could do within the confines of this production. He sounded very good (though, I must say, still doesn't come anywhere close to Mandy Patinkin). However, since this production has removed the "Guevera" from his character, there's really very little for him to do but sulk about in the shadows and lean up against pillars looking determined. Che no longer has any bite and has been reduced to a random man who pops in and out to complain, while occasionally playing a bit role (which...if you're going to do that, carry it through, don't pick and choose which bit roles he's going to play).

The most pleasant surprise of the evening was Rachel Potter, who very nearly walked off with act 1 in her 6 minutes of stage time. I saw her as Wednesday in The Addams Family and found her to be nondescript (but I found that show to be a dreadful bore without Nathan Lane, anyway). In this small role, however, she really shined.

As for Ms. Roger...I have to echo what someone said earlier in this thread, which is that I have no desire to see her on a stage in any show again. Ever. An absolutely disgraceful performance, and this much lauded "acting" didn't even impress me all that much. Yes, she's a fine dancer, but to me, you're a great failure in the role if people leave the show commenting on your dancing as opposed to your singing or acting. Having an Eva who doesn't really sing is akin to having a Cassie who doesn't really dance- what's the point? They throw in a few random dance breaks for her, as if to say, "See!! This is why she was cast!" And with Roger and her "vocals", you're not talking about a few stray notes here and there- every time she had to sustain a high note, she just screeched it out. I was reminded of Christine Pedi's "SH*T Liza Minnelli Says" parody, where Liza tells Lady Gaga, "Just go for the high note, even if it's not there!" That seemed to be Roger's attitude this evening. It was cringeworthy and an embarrassment to the many talented women working today that could have played the role.

The audience reaction to her was rather muted, save for one boisterous fan sitting next to me. At intermission, the two women behind me had the following conversation:

A: "I'm having trouble understanding her."
B: "I think she might be sick. She sounds ill. Maybe that's why."
A: "What if she doesn't do act 2? Will they cancel it?"
B: "Would we only get half of our money back if that happens?"

Unfortunately, because the production is saddled with an incompetent leading performer 6 times a week, it never really sizzles like it should. Which is a shame, because I actually enjoyed much of this staging, save for the choreography.

On the way out, the lady behind me on the escalator said to her husband, "That girl who played the Mistress had a nice voice. She should have been the lead." And so it goes.




[For the record, Cerveris (who is wasted in a thankless role, by the way) screamed the melodramatic "Nooo!" this evening.]

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 7/7/12 at 11:49pm

Tell us how you really feel, Adam. : ) RC in Austin, Texas

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/8/12 at 12:05am

Does it seem like they are shifting Che into a character similar to Cabaret's Emcee? An omnipresent person who plays bit parts, bookends scenes, and opens the show with a tone-setting number?

[The Scorpion]

Posted: 7/8/12 at 5:53am

Funny. I never want to see it WITHOUT Elena. From the moment she walked on stage, I couldn't keep my eyes off her. Even when she wasn't in the forefront. A thrilling performance.

Couldn't agree more!

[emlodik]

Posted: 7/8/12 at 6:00am

"As for Ms. Roger...I have to echo what someone said earlier in this thread, which is that I have no desire to see her on a stage in any show again. Ever. An absolutely disgraceful performance, and this much lauded "acting" didn't even impress me all that much. Yes, she's a fine dancer, but to me, you're a great failure in the role if people leave the show commenting on your dancing as opposed to your singing or acting. Having an Eva who doesn't really sing is akin to having a Cassie who doesn't really dance- what's the point? They throw in a few random dance breaks for her, as if to say, "See!! This is why she was cast!" And with Roger and her "vocals", you're not talking about a few stray notes here and there- every time she had to sustain a high note, she just screeched it out. I was reminded of Christine Pedi's "SH*T Liza Minnelli Says" parody, where Liza tells Lady Gaga, "Just go for the high note, even if it's not there!" That seemed to be Roger's attitude this evening. It was cringeworthy and an embarrassment to the many talented women working today that could have played the role."

...Blatant xenophobia disguised as "criticism." Congratulations! Goebbels would probably ask you out on a date.

[The Scorpion]

Posted: 7/8/12 at 6:11am

I'm really surprised Adam Greer didn't enjoy Rob Ashford's choreography, which I think is one of the very best things about this show. I loved Hal Prince's production, but IMHO the choreography here is superb and easily surpasses Larry Fuller's. It's some of the best I've seen in a musical, and I could watch 'Buenos Aires' over and over again just for the choreography.

I have to say, given New York is a city as cosmopolitan as London, the sheer number of "I can't understand her" comments when her accent is hardly that thick and is in fact even clearer than it was in London just baffles me. I'm being honest here when I say that I understood less when Patti sang/slurred the lyrics (and I loved Patti's performance too).

Updated On: 7/8/12 at 06:11 AM