"At the center of the production's success is Broadway veteran Max von Essen, who is just about ideal as Tony: youthful, impetuous, idealistic and convincingly lovestruck. He possesses a smooth, clean, supple yet powerful tenor that makes the most of such great songs as Something's Coming, Maria and Somewhere."

- Everett Evans, The Houston Chronicle
 

"The greatest asset in this West Side Story was Max von Essen's Tony.  It is difficult to imagine him bettered in the role, and he offered a virtual master class in performing Bernstein's songs.  The young actor's breath control and technical security throughout his range enabled him to thrill audiences at full voice but also to sustain beautiful, soft-grained piano tones in Maria and Tonight."

-  Christopher Weimer, The Sondheim Review