Max von Essen Quotes

I remember when I was rehearsing 'Scottsboro Boys,' I was in 'American Idiot,' so, every night, I was screaming, singing these high, belty Cs and Ds, and then, during the day, I would be doing these legato lines - I am very lucky that I have had the training that I have so that I could handle all of that.

I played Joseph in 'Joseph & The Technicolor Dreamcoat,' which was a bit silly because I am a girl. I wanted to be the narrator, but I had fun with it anyway.

I've always been singing. Since day one. I started doing musical theater and you have to sing in musical theater and so that's where I got most of my training. So singing on stage, you just inevitably, when you're around other vocal artists, you get better at singing.

I know Mama Rose is a great role and I love having a chance to do it.

My first professional gig was 'Once Upon a Mattress' at the Drury Lane Oakbrook... I was in the ensemble. I was one of the ladies in waiting, and I covered Winnifred.

When I was in high school, I was a bad singer. I mean, all my early acting was musical theater, and my first ever show was 'Jesus Christ Superstar.' Everyone's familiar with it. I played priest number 3 and sang so out of tune that it's not even funny.

I would love to do a musical. When I did 'Fame L.A.' for a year - all the singing, dancing and acting - I was in heaven. I cried so much when they cancelled the show. I mean, I loved going to work and I couldn't wait to get on the set.

I thought theater people wouldn't see me if I hadn't trained. I didn't want to just be the Brideshead guy, to spend the rest of my life wearing waistcoats. I got the chance to try everything. Not just Romeos, but pimps and grandfathers and even one role as a woman in a Naomi Wallace play called Slaughter City.

I've only dressed in drag three or four times.

I love wearing drag.

I'd been acting in Chicago since I came back after University, and I got a call from my agent saying, 'They're doing this revival of 'On a Clear Day,' and I actually auditioned when the team came through Chicago for the 'American Idiot' tour.

I did see 'Les Miz' and I thought it was just incredible. Totally incredible. I love 'Chicago,' too.

I'm tired of being around men all the time. I'm going to start a band called Skirt with three girls and I'll play the guitar and sing backing vocals in drag. I went window shopping when I was in New York, saw a lot of amazing dresses.

There's a difference between being an actress who can sing and being a Sally Song-and-Dance.

I played more performances of 'Chris' in 'Miss Saigon' than anyone else.

Singing is more of a hobby than really something I want to do for a career. But I love musical theater, so I'm hoping I can go back to it and do a role on Broadway for a few weeks. That would be a dream come true. My dream role would be Roxie in 'Chicago.'

I'll have you know that as a young man, I spent an entire year as a woman in a world tour of 'As You Like It.' I played Celia.

I've played women since I was a kid and I've always enjoyed it.

Ever since I was 16, I've had this lower register, what I thought was a very manly voice, and I was insecure about that. But once I started acting more, I realized it was an asset, and I didn't want to force myself to aim for the highest note possible.

I'm not a singer. In 'Bye Bye Birdie,' I think I was the sad girl who sits on the park bench during 'Put on a Happy Face.'

My first show in high school was 'The Music Man.' I was a junior. I played Harold Hill. I did the role at the University of Miami, too. I do love that musical. To do it in high school and college and then to do it professionally - I mean, come on!

I'm from Chicago. And I was an actor in high school and college, and I wanted to see if I could make a run of it in this job. So, I went downtown in Chicago, and I went up on a stand-up stage and did an open mic. It went well, so I'm like, 'Alright, I'll give it another try.'

I'd like to do some female roles again.

Drag has been featured in popular culture for decades. Movies like 'Kinky Boots,' 'Tootsie,' 'The Birdcage' - even 'Mrs. Doubtfire' - have showcased men, some gay, some not, who dress and perform as women.

I only did five or six weeks in 'Guys and Dolls,' and when I was 26 or so, I was in 'Blood Brothers' for a year on the West End, playing Linda, with Kiki Dee.