The actor's official website says he will play Frederic in the Gilbert and Sullivan classic, which plays the Pittsburgh theatre June 28-July 10. Leland Ball will direct the operetta with choreography by Dan Mojica. Also cast are Mark Jacoby as The Pirate King and Ruth Gottschall as the Pirate maid Ruth. Before Pirates, the Pittsburgh theatre company will present the family-friendly The Sound of Music June 14-26. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical features Paige Davis as Maria, Robert Cuccioli as Captain Von Trapp, Meg Bussert as the Mother Abbess, Patrick Quinn as Max Detweiler, Donna English as Elsa Schraeder, Emily Walton as Liesl, Alyssa Gephart as Marta, Allie Ryave as Gretl, Kristin Serafini as Brigitta, Alyssa Smouse as Louisa and Trevor Misplay as Kurt, Patrick Sheffler as Friedrich, Mark Willet as Rolf, Terry Wickline as Frau Schmidt, Ted Brunetti Sr. as Franz, Jeremy Holm as Zeller and Gene Saraceni as Admiral Von Schreiber.

Max von Essen recently appeared Off-Broadway in Finian's Rainbow and in the York Theatre's all-star benefit concert of Children of Eden. On Broadway the actor has been seen in Dance of the Vampires, Jesus Christ Superstar and Les Misérables; his Off-Broadway credits include The Fantasticks and John & Paul. Von Essen's regional credits are numerous and include Dorian the Musical, My Fair Lady, Hair, Blood Brothers and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

For more information about the Pittsburgh CLO season, visit www.pittsburghCLO.org or call (412) 281-2822.