Max von Essen, who recently ended a limited engagement in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of The Baker's Wife, will star as the Emcee in the theatre's Aug. 9-14 presentation of the Kander and Ebb musical. He will be joined by Paige Price as Sally Bowles, Perry Ojeda as Cliff, Teri Ralston as Fraulein Schneider and Mark Zimmerman as Herr Schultz. John Simpkins will direct the Tony-winning musical that boasts such tunes as "Maybe This Time," "Wilkommen" and the title song.

The theatre’s summer series will also include mountings of Beauty and the Beast (July 5-17), West Side Story (July 19-24), Crazy for You (July 26-31), Once on This Island (Aug. 2-7), Grease! (Aug. 16-21) and The King and I (Aug. 23-28).

Beauty and the Beast will feature Nikki Renee Daniels and William Michals in the title roles and Teri Ralston as Madame le Grande Bouche, all under the direction of Glenn Casale. West Side Story's cast includes Enrique Acevedo as Shark, Shane Rhoades as Riff, Drew Niles as Tony and Carolann M. Sanita as Maria. The Leonard Bernstein musical will be directed by Gary John LaRosa.

The Gershwin musical Crazy for You will boast the direction of James Brennan, who was featured in the show's original Broadway production. Beverly Ward will star as Polly with David Engel as Bobby Child; the cast also features John Bisom and Eleanor Glockner. Marcia Milgrom Dodge will direct and choreograph the Music Circus' production of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' Once on This Island. Dodge's stars include Kenita Miller and Alan H. Green.

The audience friendly Grease! will also be directed by Dodge and will star Tony Yazbeck as Danny Zuko and Christeena Michelle Riggs as Sandy. The final offering of the summer, The King and I, will feature William Parry as the King and Barbara McCulloh as Anna Leonowens; Leland Ball directs. The Music Circus is located at 1419 H Street in Sacramento, CA. Call (916) 557-1999 for tickets. For more information, visit www.californiamusicaltheatre.com.