His area of expertise is 19th and early 20th century American theater with a focus on the formation of national identity. He is presently at work on the history of the representation of drug addiction on the U.S. stage. His other research interests involve the history of radio drama, vaudeville, political theatre, and the Yiddish theatre. His teaching engages with both Western and Eastern performance traditions, especially the theatres of Japan and India including Noh, Kabuki, Kuttiyatam, and Kathakali. Max also works as a director and dramaturge, often resurrecting forgotten works and archival material in new form. He undertook just such projects most recently at the Center for Jewish History in New York, were he was resident director until 2016. Prior to his graduate work, Max worked as a professional actor in New York and regionally.