Night at the Improv

dalton maltz performs in an Irish folk band.

Dalton Maltz ’16

Performance—music, theatre, comedy—lies at the heart of history major Dalton Maltz ‘16’s experience at Dickinson. Below, the Los Angeles native talks about his theatre internship in upstate New York, his Irish folk band and the dangers of feeding squirrels.

Major:

History (theatre arts minor).

Clubs and organizations:

Run With It! (president), Mermaid Players, Gaming Club and Skate Club.

Favorite book:

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein.

Favorite movie:

The Land Before Time.

On choosing Dickinson:

Dickinson wasn’t even on my radar at first. Then a good friend of mine told me I should look into Dickinson. I did, and it had everything I wanted. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Favorite place on campus:

Mathers Theatre’s scene shop.

Favorite Dining Hall food:

Bagels and lox at the KOVE on Sunday mornings.

Favorite professor:

The professor with whom I have had the best experiences would be my advisor, Professor [of History Karl] Qualls. He has so much passion about Russian history that he radiates Lenin, and he knows how to communicate that interest to his students.

Most important thing I’ve learned (so far):

Not to judge and not to let the judgment of others affect how I perceive myself.

About my internship:

I interned as a stage manager at Pendragon Theater in Saranac Lake, N.Y. What appealed to me about it was the opportunity to live on my own in an unfamiliar place, working at a job that combined both my major (history) and my minor (theatre). Plus, it was nice to get away from everything for a few months and recharge my brain. I definitely wanted to go into my senior year with a clear mindset. Through this internship, I learned that no matter how hard I try, I cannot make a good pot of rice. Also, that theater takes a lot of work.

Little-known hobby/talent:

I am Dickinson College’s premier student lutist. (Unless anyone would like to challenge me, in which case I would gladly concede the title.)

As a kid, I wanted to be …

… a dinosaur. Then I learned that many kids have that same [dream], and so I changed my choice to an adult. There isn’t really a lot of room for failure there.

If I could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, it would be …

… do dinosaurs count in this context? That or Mark Twain.

Best part of my time at Dickinson (so far):

My participation with the [theatre group] Mermaid Players has provided me with a wonderful venue for performance of all kinds, and as president of Dickinson’s improv group, Run With It!, I am looking forward to a year of creating memorable scenes (or throwing diamonds in the ocean, as improv has been called). As a member of Five (now Two) Men and a Baby, I am thrilled to play Irish folk music with my best friends. Dickinson has provided me with people who are just as excited about my interests as I am, and I am highly appreciative.

Favorite class/learning experience:

All classes are tied for my favorite, but my most productive learning experience was being bitten by a squirrel in front of Bosler. I learned to always wear a hat when feeding squirrels, just in case they bite you.

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Published October 8, 2015