Max von Essen


Max von Essen is an American Tony Award nominated stage and screen actor, and vocalist. His Broadway credits include roles in An American in Paris, Anastasia, Evita, and Chicago. He also starred as Marvin in the United States national tour of Falsettos.

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 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
YearProductionRoleLocation
2000Jesus Christ SuperstarDisciple;
u/s Jesus Christ		Ford Center for the Performing Arts
2002Dance of the VampiresAlfredMinskoff Theatre
2003Les MisérablesFauchelevent / Jean Prouvaire / Ensemble;
u/s Marius Pontmercy 		Imperial Theatre
2007–2008Les MisérablesEnjolras Broadhurst Theatre
2012EvitaAgustin Magaldi;
u/s Che		Marquis Theatre
2012EvitaChe Marquis Theatre
2012–2013EvitaAgustin Magaldi;
u/s Che		Marquis Theatre
2015–2016An American in ParisHenri BaurelPalace Theatre
2017–2018AnastasiaGleb Vaganov Broadhurst Theatre
2023–2025ChicagoBilly Flynn Ambassador Theatre

National and international tours

Off-Broadway

Regional

Awards and nominations

Source: IBDB
YearAward CeremonyCategoryShowResult
2015Tony AwardBest Featured Actor in a MusicalAn American in ParisNomitated
2015Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Featured Actor in a MusicalAn American in ParisNomitated
2015Outer Critics Circle AwardOutstanding Featured Actor in a MusicalAn American in ParisNomitated
2015Broadway.com Audience Choice AwardFavorite Featured Actor in a MusicalAn American in ParisNomitated