Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
musicaltheater1
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/05
#1Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 12:26am
Yes, he plays Tony in Pittsburgh CLO's production of West Side Story opposite Ali Ewoldt as Maria. Ali recently played Cosette in the revival of Les Miserables on Broadway.
:)
I hope that didn't confuse the upcoming Broadway revival fans. Now's your chance to see his style of Tony.
PBOL Photo Call - CLO West Side Story
"I love acting. It is so much more real than life." Oscar Wilde
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley
Updated On: 8/13/08 at 12:26 AM
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley
broadwaybaby221
Featured Actor Joined: 12/26/05
#2re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 1:09amI'm really excited to see this on Saturday! Those pictures are stunning.
~Sara~
#2re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 1:29am
Dear Pittsburgh CLO:
Learn how to color correct your photos without using auto-correct!
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#3re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 2:42amYeah. The quality makes them look like pictures from the original production.
#4re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 2:55amA friend of mine played Anybodys in this production! I wish I could have seen it!
"Somethin's comin', I don't know what it is but it is gonna be great!"
#5re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 7:18am
I'm seeing this tonight. I'll be sure to post my review here, most likely tomorrow morning.
Updated On: 8/13/08 at 07:18 AM
#6re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 11:55amI'm flying out to Pittsburgh on Saturday morning, and seeing the closing matinee performance. Really, really looking forward to seeing the show. I'll post my review here.
#7re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 12:56pm
THAT is how a Tony and Maria should look like, not Matt Cavenaugh. No offense to Matt, he just seems too old, and not the right type.
And it's a Les Miz reunion!
"He found something that he wanted, had always wanted and always would want— not to be admired, as he had feared; not to be loved, as he had made himself believe; but to be necessary to people, to be indispensable."
-F. Scott Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise
erinrebecca
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/29/04
BillFinn
Broadway Star Joined: 10/26/03
#9re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 1:25pmSome of those Jets are wearing American Apparel.
Bill Finn rocks. Woot.
WestVillage
Broadway Star Joined: 7/20/05
#10re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 1:29pmMax looks too old also ... like he's robbing the cradle.
#11re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 2:33pmSeeing it tonight, ill post my review after
Stand-by Joined: 12/31/69
#12re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 3:11pm
OMG- who really cares! I've seen Max in a bunch of things, and I think he's rather generic, nice voice, but that's where the buck stops.
Also Max is definitely way older than Matt- by like 5 or 6 years.
#13re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 5:08pmMax is very talented, and far from generic. Not exactly how old Max or Matt are. Does it really matter?
#14re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 6:48pmI would love to see this. Ali seems like she'd make a GREAT Maria.
I chose, and my world was shaken. So what?
The choice may have been mistaken. The choosing was not.
Trish2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/20/06
#15re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 9:58pmI know this guy has a nice voice, but from those pics he looks like a singing waiter. All wrong.
#16re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 10:04pmHAHAHAHA!!!
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#17re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/13/08 at 10:29pmI was vastly underwhelmed by his performance in Les Mis. Doubt he'd make a great Tony, but you never know . . .
I chose, and my world was shaken. So what?
The choice may have been mistaken. The choosing was not.
#18re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/14/08 at 12:25am
Max was very good as Tony, I didnt think he seemed older than the other Jets at all. I'd never seen it before and he made a great first impression on me as Tony
Ali Ewoldt was probably the best i have to say. She has such a beautiful voice, its a shame she doesnt do more on broadway. They both had very good chemistry
#19re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/14/08 at 8:30am
I have to agree with delucad15, 100%. Both Max and Ali were fantastic as Tony and Maria, respectively. It was my first time seeing the show on stage. I had seen maybe the second half of the film on TV, and then watched it in a music class in 7th grade, but everyone talked, so I missed a few things.
Also, Manoly Farrell was amazing as Anita. She acted her near-rape scene perfectly. The entire cast was fantastic, really. If you have a chance to see this production, see it.
#20re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/14/08 at 1:19pmSounds like a great production! After I see it on Sunday, I'll post a review.
broadwaybaby221
Featured Actor Joined: 12/26/05
#21re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/15/08 at 2:12amI saw the ensemble of West Side Story rock it out tonight at the Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret. I was at a performance of Shear Madness tonight (I have my tickets for West Side on Saturday) and the ensemble was fantastic! They work so hard all summer and it's nice to see them have a chance to shine. From the looks of it all the cast members were in the house and the place was PACKED! I've never seen the cabaret theatre so crowded before. Once I see the show on Saturday night I'll post of review.
~Sara~
broadwaybaby221
Featured Actor Joined: 12/26/05
#22re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/16/08 at 11:50pm
Just got back from seeing the show tonight. Overall, I thought the production was stunning. It was one of the best CLO shows that I have ever seen. The set was marvelous, the lighting was beautiful and the performances were wonderful. They were having a bit of a sound problem tonight but it only showed up in a couple places so it really didn't bother me too much.
Max von Essen was a wonderful Tony. Vocally, his voice soared with the score and I never wanted him to stop singing. I loved his acting choices, especially in "Maria", the big rumble and the final scene. Personally, I don't think he stood out as being that much older than the others, though my friend thought he did look a tad old. His chemistry with Ali Ewoldt was very good and I believed them as a couple.
Ali Ewoldt was a fine Maria. I loved her acting very much, especially in "One Hand, One Heart", "A Boy Like That/I Have Love" and the final scene. I had a problem with her singing sometimes, though. She was very quiet and it was very hard to hear her, especially when she was singing with Tony or Anita.
I really loved Manoly Farrell as Anita. She had a lot of fire and spunk, yet was beautiful in "A Boy Like That/I Have Love" with Maria and heartbreaking when Anita was at Doc's trying to deliver Maria's message. I also loved Wilson Mendieta as Bernardo and Spencer Howard as Riff. Special shout out to the ensemble who always impress me at the Pittsburgh CLO.
~Sara~
#23re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/17/08 at 12:25am
I saw von Essen when he did Tony at TUTS in Houston. Then, I thought he was superb vocally, although I thought his acting left something to be desired. However, I felt that way with the acting of the ensemble as a whole. The chemistry wasn't there between him and Maria (then played by Stephanie Iannarino) and his performance overall felt flat.
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed him, though. His voice is powerful.
"I believe that art does not exist only to entertain, but also to challenge one to think, to provoke, even to disturb, to engage in a constant search for the truth."
- Barbra Streisand
#24re: Max von Essen Plays Tony in WSS (CLO)
Posted: 8/18/08 at 10:00pm
I saw the final performance of WWS on Sunday, and it was fantastic! The entire cast was flawless. Max stopped the show when he sang "Maria." His phrasing, clarity and diction were remarkable.
Completely agree with the earlier poster about Spencer Howard as Riff. He was amazing! Such talent, such grace and virility at the same time. "Cool" was a standout number!
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