Spotlight On NYMF: Max Von Essen & THE HISTORY OF WAR

After his early triumph in some truly troubled musicals - among them the most notorious of twenty-first century cult Broadway musicals, the infamous DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES - this dashing and terrifically talented Broadway leading man went on to star in the most successful production to date of Stephen Schwartz's delicate Gallic musical THE BAKER'S WIFE - causing even the WICKED composer himself to be taken aback by the sheer power of this tenor's voice - and is now singing the most talked about song of the New York Musical Theater Festival - from the new musical THE HISTORY OF WAR - the captivatingly charming and charismatic Max Von Essen. In this thorough discussion we go into his experiences working with Jim Steinman, Roman Polanski, Michael Crawford, John Rando, Mandy Gonzalez and the rest of the cast and creative team of DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES and how that flash of brilliance of a Broadway debut prepared him for the plight of the working actor making his way on Broadway today. We also discuss the details of his new NYMF musical and singing his star-making solo and adding another notable entry to his pristine performance record. Additionally, we talk about playing Enjorlas in the LES MISERABLES revival co-starring Lea Michele and Daphne Rubin Vega as well as his upcoming appearances and events - such as BROADWAY UNPLUGGED - plus how he keeps his voice in shape to traverse the treacherous vocal territory required of the tenor rock ballads he excels at enacting in song - and thoroughly slaughtering.(He'd be the last to admit he has cords of steel, but he does.) He may be known for "For Sarah", but this interview is all Max.

Alexander Ala Max

PC: I loved you in DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES. That is one of my favorite shows of all time, critics be damned.

MVE: (Laughs.) Thanks, thanks, man. The fans are awesome, especially for that show, so thanks.

PC: Tell me about that experience.

MVE: It was my big Broadway break. I had a great role. You can say what you want about the show, but I loved my role. It was a very, very exciting time in my life. I'm so happy I did it. I mean, yeah, I wish the show was a success but I'm really proud of what I did in it. What can you do? I'm not gonna be depressed about it or anything!

PC: Jim Steinman is such a genius composer. What was working with him like?

MVE: He was around a lot. Since I was the only one who was cast early on, because of all the readings - I mean, there were different casts, different directors, different writers - somehow I managed to keep pleasing people and I managed to keep that role, which was difficult. I mean, it's difficult enough to get a show once, but to get it twice and then again?

PC: Yeah. That's rough.

MVE: It took a year and a half or so from the reading to Broadway. I got to spend a lot of great time with Jim because he was so involved in the process. Once Broadway happened it became very big, but in a reading I could be alone in a room working with Jim and the music director. I think he's such a great songwriter - such a theatrical songwriter - and I loved and love doing his stuff. I feel so lucky I had the opportunity to work with him.

PC: The show changed so much in previews. The preview version was far superior. What you opened with was so different! That drawbridge moment with the candles...

MVE: Oh, my God! I know!

PC: How could they cut the most amazing moment in the show?

MVE: You know, it's so funny. I was so deep in it at the time. It was so stressful and there was so much going on... I don't think they improved anything. There were just too many cooks in the kitchen. They just started tinkering with and changing everything and not trusting the zaniness they originally intended and I don't know what it became. I don't know what it should have been, but I know with the talent involved and the budget it could have been something more incredible. I think all the talented people in the room saw things differently and just couldn't get on the same page together. It's a shame.

PC: You and Mandy Gonzalez both escaped unscathed, though! You were both phenomenal and have had great careers since.

MVE: Mandy and I... I was really proud of what we were doing together onstage every night. Mandy just sang the crap out of it. As silly as it was, as much crazy stuff as was going on, we had some really great material. It's hard with shows like that because it wasn't all great material, but Mandy and I had great roles and we just focused on what we were doing and doing the best we could. If nothing else, it totally put us on the map as far as the Broadway scene, so I will always be grateful for that.

PC: Your character's song-track is incredible. Techno dance anthems, Americana ballads, opera bouffe duets, pop sextets...

MVE: Yeah! It was funny, because at the time, a lot of my friends - you know, Matt Morrison as Link Larkin in HAIRSPRAY and Gavin Creel in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE - we were sort of the young leading guys in shows, and when you get down to it the amount of material and quality of material was so atypical for what was happening with all the male roles at the time. It was kind of deceptive, because Michael Crawford was the guy above the title, but when I look at all the songs and scenes I was in, I had the real major role. It was all a huge, huge challenge, but I barely realized it at the time!

PC: Did you audition for Roman Polanski at any point? Of course, he directed the original German TANZ DER VAMPIRE.

MVE: Well, I was in a European tour of WEST SIDE STORY playing Tony. It's kind of an interesting story.

PC: Tell me!

MVE: OK. So, I was in Europe and I had an agent there. At one point I was in Vienna, and my agent represented the kid who played Alfred and Steve Barton. So, I went to the show and went backstage. Eventually, I auditioned and sang "For Sarah" - in German - and some other songs.

PC: No way!

MVE: It went great and they said they wanted to have a call back. So, I flew back to Vienna and had a private audition for Roman Polanski. Isn't that wild?

PC: Yeah! CHINATOWN! Wow!

MVE: So, they actually offered me the understudy for Alfred. But, I thought "Oh, I'm not gonna take an understudy role in another country." So, then I heard they were working on it and translating it and bringing it to the stage here, and I thought, "Oh, my God! This is my role!" But, yet, the casting director won't let me audition for Alfred, only Herbert. I was like, "O...K?" So, when I went to pick up the material I lied to the assistant told them I was auditioning for both roles. So, I made sure I learned all of it so when I came in and sang the Herbert for Jim Steinman and everyone they immediately knew. They were like, "Wait a second, would you mind looking at the Alfred stuff?" And I'm like, "No problem!"

PC: Beat 'em to the punch!

MVE: Little did they know I had already rehearsed it. I felt like I really nailed that audition. I mean, I know I could do Herbert, but I am Alfred. So, that was that.

PC: What do you think of the legacy of the show? Gone, but not forgotten.

MVE: Things come and go, and flop musicals are easily forgotten but... DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES, we did it big! (Laughs.) It's not something people are going to forget for awhile!

PC: Definitely not. Tell me about the NYMF festival.

MVE: It's just incredible. It just shows you how many people are out there, writing musicals. There are just thousands of actors in New York, doing them. I guess that's what makes it so special for the ones who do something that makes it to Broadway or off-Broadway.

PC: Tell me about the panel earlier today at Barnes & Noble.

MVE: Yeah, I just got back. I thought there were going to be other people performing, but it was just me! Lynn Ahrens was there and Susan Birkenhead and the composer and lyricist of my show - Amanda and Deborah - and I thought there would be someone singing to represent each of them. But, it was just me singing my song from our show.

PC: Chip Zien, the book writer, was telling me how amazing your song and your performance of it is!

MVE: Andrew Samonsky was supposed to do my role, but he has another project now and he would have been terrific. But, things have a way of working out and I think this is for the best.

PC: Totally. You are completely different types, anyway. I've heard such great things about your performance of your big song in this from Chip.

MVE: Chip frantically called me one night and said, "Can you do this?" And I called him back and said, "Well, send me the material," because I was busy that night and I was supposed to start the next day and I barely had time to read it. So, they sent me the script and I read, maybe, the first ten pages and my character had two lines and they both made me laugh out loud. So, I listened to the song on the demo. I realized with my voice the song could take on a hero-type vibe - like Alexander the Great - so I told them I would do it.

PC: The song sold it!

MVE: Yeah! So, ultimately, what sold me were the couple of funny lines and the big solo, "I Will Conquer You".

PC: It's really epic, I've heard.

MVE: It is. It's frickin' awesome! (Pause.) It is really something special.

PC: This is a contemporary score, right?

MVE: It is. It's very interesting because my song, it sounds simple but it is very difficult to learn. It reminds me of LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, which I auditioned for, in that it is deceptively simple.

PC: No way! You would have been so good in that.

MVE: Yeah, some songs like ones in that and in this, are kind of lush and romantic but really tricky to learn. That's what Deborah's whole score is like, particularly my song, it was tricky to learn but once you get it it just feels so great to sing.

PC: Tell me about your co-stars.

MVE: Paul Kandel. He's so amazing. We did the revival of [JESUS CHRIST] SUPERSTAR - I was in the ensemble and the Jesus cover and he was Herod - he's just so committed and incredible. Jim Walton. Sophie Hayden. The cast is really awesome. And, it's male heavy. I just love going to work everyday with all these guys - some of the older guys I can learn things from - and it's like playtime. It ups my game a little bit. It makes me feel like a New York actor who's working with good people. It's cool. I get to be in the room with these great actors. It's like adult playtime.

PC: Did Chip know you prior to this?

MVE: Yeah, Chip replaced Gary Beach as Thenardier in LES MISERABLES. He's fun and crazy, onstage and offstage. I was looking forward to the opportunity to work with him so to do this was just...

PC: Perfect.

MVE: Yeah.

PC: That was a great revival. I loved it, though some didn't.

MVE: It was scaled down and much simpler, so I guess people were expecting more. I liked being in a smaller theater. I love doing shows of all sizes, but sometimes it's nice to be in a smaller space and to strip away some of the music so that you can be a little less than larger-than-life; you can be a little more naturalistic. You don't usually get to do that in musical theatre, things are usually exaggerated. It's nice to just be and exist as naturally as possible. So, I really liked that aspect of the revival and I liked to be involved in it.

PC: Have you met William Finn yet? You are the ideal Whizzer for FALSETTOS. Would you consider it?

MVE: Yeah, it would be cool. It would definitely be cool. I love Bill Finn's stuff. It's so rewarding for an actor. It's conversational, but intricate. He writes some beautiful, simple songs and melodies, but he also writes this cacophony for people. Conversations. Whenever I sing along with the FALSETTOS CD or something it's like a real conversation with people.

PC: You'd be perfect for ELEGIES, too. Some of those songs in that character trek.

MVE: Oh, I would love to. That's another one, when I saw it in New York I was like, "Hey, wait a second, why didn't I audition for that?!" Ugh, a lot of that stuff Christian Borle sang... "When the Earth Stopped Turning"... incredible.

PC: What do you do to keep your voice in such good shape?

MVE: You know, I've never been one of those guys... I get so mad at Cheyenne Jackson who has those cords of steel and can sing on early morning talk shows. I just take super-good care of my voice and when I'm not working I party and go crazy so I can at least know what that feels like! (Laughs.)

PC: You've gotta let loose sometimes!

MVE: When I'm working, I try to be serious and rest where I can. I just mark in rehearsals. I still train. I warm up. And I still take lessons from this unbelievable teacher in New York, Joan Lader. I try to be stretched and ready to go.

PC: You were so great in THE BAKER'S WIFE at Papermill, perfect for that part.

MVE: I loved doing that!

PC: I could tell!

MVE: Playing opposite Alice Ripley, who is almost frightening the way she commits to a role, you know, you can't walk out onstage with her - sometimes on Broadway people joke around a bit or whatever - she is just so unbelievably committed to that that you snap right into the scene because she won't let you off the hook. She won't let you step out of the character. She is so...

PC: Fierce.

MVE: Fiercely committed. You just, like, go along on the ride with her. I had such an incredible experience.

PC: Tell me about doing that score every night.

MVE: Yeah, Stephen Schwartz was around a lot and wrote some new lyrics. After I did that show and sang that song, Stephen literally said to me, "That's your song now."

PC: "Proud Lady". That song is incredible. It's pre-punk almost, what's going on musically in that song.

MVE: He sort of feels like it's my song now, like it's connected to me. That's pretty incredible.

PC: Wow, the highest compliment! That's one of his best songs ever. I love it.

MVE: Yeah, it's really special. (Pause.) I'm not quite sure what's missing from that show. It's worth a second look. I'd love to do it again if they do it somewhere.

PC: Would you ever consider doing a solo album?

MVE: You know what, actually, I always am. People have tried to get me to do it. I'm not sure exactly what my hook is and what I want to say yet. I don't think I'd be satisfied doing a regular musical theatre album where I sing "Proud Lady" and "Maria" and "Something's Coming". Yet, a few - like, I'd love to record "Proud Lady" but I don't know where that would that fit on an album - I want to do, but I haven't totally felt the inspiration yet as to what the whole thing will be. I want it to make sense, to be cohesive. It's always on my mind. I keep this crazy notebook of song ideas. I know at some point I will do it. I know it's a huge, huge commitment and it's also expensive so I just want to make sure that I know exactly what I want to say before I delve into it. People have offered to fund it and producers have offered to do it, but I think I know naturally when I'm supposed to do it.

PC: Define collaboration.

MVE: Collaboration is all creative minds coming together, compromising and creating, all for a common goal. For me, that's clear.

PC: What's next?

MVE: This show starts Friday and ends a week or so later. After that, I'm going over to the York Theater and we're workshopping a show for three weeks called ONLY A KINGDOM. It's about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor - King Edward, who abdicated his throne because he fell in love with this American woman. I'm playing Edward. It's this incredible story of love and one of the most romantic stories from actual history. I don't think there's anything out there about it yet, but soon they'll announce the rest of the cast. I liked the script and I liked the songs so I think it will be good.

PC: What concert appearances are coming up?

MVE: I'm doing BROADWAY UNPLUGGED at Town Hall in November. It's just Broadway stars all night. Everyone performs without a mic, so you're just standing at the edge of the Town Hall stage and singing like the people used to sing in the old days on Broadway.

PC: You were great in the last BROADWAY UNPLUGGED.

MVE: Yeah! Did you hear my song with David Burnham?

PC: Of course! I love that recording! You two are great together. What song are you doing this time?

MVE: This time, I'm not sure. I just agreed to do it so we'll have to figure it out.

PC: Do you know "Goodbye" from CATCH ME IF YOU CAN?

MVE: Yeah, I had to learn "Goodbye" because I was up for the role.

PC: What a great song! I'd kill to hear you sing it.

MVE: I had to learn it. (Pause.) That's a really cool idea. Hmm...

PC: Oh, my God. That last note!

MVE: Oh, my god! Killer!

PC: Thanks so much for giving me all this time. It was great. Keep up the good work.

MVE: Absolutely. You bet! Thanks so much. Bye bye.