Spotlight On: Max Dittmar

Connecticut Theatre Company’s “Spotlight On…” series continues with a look into our talented cast and crew of Cabaret. Get to know Max Dittmar who is portraying Erncee!

Introduce Yourself to Our Audience:

Hello! My name is Max Dittmar, and I’m playing the Emcee in CTC’s production of Cabaret.

Why did you want to be involved in this production?

I hadn’t seen Cabaret until this year (both the 1972 film and the musical), and after seeing a recording of the 1998 Broadway revival, I was hooked. It’s an incredibly important show that warns of indifference and self-preservation in the face of fascism, and is (unfortunately) just as relevant today as it was when it debuted.

How do you prepare for a new role or character, and what techniques do you use?

Whenever I’m playing a character, I try to relate to them in a personal way, however small. I can see in the script what a character is saying and doing, but there’s always more going on under the surface. Just like in daily life, everyone is dealing with something they may not be forthcoming about, and that something could be driving their motivation for behaving the way they do.

What do you love about your character?

I love the ambiguity of the Emcee, and what the character represents over the course of the plot. He’s both a metaphor for the quickly-growing Third Reich in Germany, and an individual whom would eventually fall victim to the Nazi Party at its height of power. He’s trying to make his way just like Sally, but I think he realizes just before the end of the plot where things are headed: he’s out of options, and his world will soon change drastically.

What challenges did you face bringing the script to life?

Speaking and singing in multiple languages / with a different accent can make the process challenging, but I feel it made me work harder to internalize the script. With a character as expressive as the Emcee, I feel the process was pretty natural and things fit into place once we put all the smaller pieces together.

Who do you look up to (as an actor/director/etc.)?

I watched a lot of The Golden Girls reruns when I was younger (mostly at 2am) and found that I was drawn to Bea Arthur. Her stature, her dry humor, her powerful screen presence…everything about her seemed so elegant and strong, right down to her dark voice. She was also an incredible person who advocated for marginalized communities–I’m glad to be familiar with her work, both on stage and off.

What’s the last thing you do before you step out on stage / the curtain goes up?

I like to get my nervous energy out. I’ll jump or shake a little, or dance around backstage–just something to keep me grounded and connected to the present moment!

What is your favorite film or theater production and why?

Sunday In The Park With George. I am fascinated by the story between each character in glimpses, bringing to life George Seurat’s painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The protagonists’ relationship is strained, and the music by Sondheim details their deterioration from start to finish. It’s a beautiful show.

Cabaret opens July 19th and runs through August 4th at Connecticut Theatre Company. Tickets on sale now!

“A stunning musical… this marionette’s-eye view of a time and place in our lives that was brassy, wanton, carefree and doomed to crumble is brilliantly conceived.”– Walter Kerr, The New York Times

“Stunning… a masterpiece of musical theater penned as a cautionary tale and not at all leavened by the embrace of paradox.” – Chris Jones, The Chicago Tribune