Max von Essen will take part in the at-sea comic opera hijinks of the Pittsburgh CLO's production of The Pirates of Penzance, which will run from June 28th to July 10th.
Von Essen has been cast as the young hero Frederic in the Gilbert and Sullivan romance, which finds his character vowing to scourge the seas of pirates to be with the girl he loves--despite having been apprenticed to a buccaneer himself. Mark Jacoby and Ruth Gottschall will star alongside him as the Pirate King and Ruth, respectively. Leland Ball will direct the production, while Dan Mojica will handle the choreography.Von Essen recently drew strong reviews for his turn as Dominique in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of The Baker's Wife. His Broadway credits include Dance of the Vampires, Jesus Christ Superstar and Les Miserables, while he has appeared off-Broadway in the Irish Rep production of Finian's Rainbow, in The Fantasticks and John & Paul. Von Essen was also featured in the York Theatre's all-star benefit concert of Children of Eden, and he has appeared regionally in Dorian the Musical, My Fair Lady, Hair, Blood Brothers and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
