Meet the "Smokefall" Cast

THE CAST: Orson Bean, Corey Brill, Leo Marks, Heidi Dippold and Carmela Corbett.

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A Dog's Debut

Max Braden

Max is a hard-working Schnauzer/Lhasa mix, who is probably seven years old. In other words, he’s a "dog pound special," says Vickie Braden, his human companion.

In March 2006, after what is now considered to be an unfortunate "cat-chasing incident," Max got lost and was placed in a Long Beach animal shelter.  He lived under the assumed name of “Gavin” for a couple of weeks before he found his “forever home” and a new name – Max. He currently resides in Huntington Beach.

Max had no prior acting experience prior to landing the role of Sparky in SCR's production of Smokefall. Prior to that, he had worked as "head of security" for an event planning company in Los Angeles. His bark was probably worse than his bite.

During his down time, Max chases tennis balls to keep in shape for the role of Sparky, which requires him to consume a great deal of treat—which is the reason he is so excited to be in Smokefall!

Most weekends, Max can be spotted at Huntington Beach's famous dog beach—hangin' out with his dawgs. Max is humbled and honored to be working with the great cast of Smokefall and is looking forward to a terrific premiere at South Coast Repertory. Oh, yes, and lots of treats during opening weekend!

A mix of actors, who are both returning and debuting, comprise the cast for the world premiere of Noah Haidle’s Smokefall.  The great group assembled includes Orson Bean, Corey Brill, Carmela Corbett, Heidi Dippold, Leo Marks, and Max as Sparky, the dog who does not bark.

Orson Bean makes his SCR debut with Smokefall, but he’s no stranger to theatre. He starred on Broadway for 20 years, winning a Theater World Award and a Tony Award nomination in the process. He was the star of the original cast of Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? and was featured in Subways Are For Sleeping. He appeared on “The Tonight Show” more than 200 times, 100 of them as substitute host. In recent years, he has guest-starred in “Two and a Half Men,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and in a recurring role in “Desperate Housewives.”

Corey Brill appeared at SCR last season in Pride and Prejudice. His Broadway credits include Gore Vidal’s The Best Man, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (understudy) and Cabaret (Broadway national tour). In regional theatre, his credits include How I Learned to Drive (Santa Monica Rep), The Glass Menagerie (The Kennedy Center), Doubt (Seattle Repertory Theatre); Opus (The Old Globe); Lady Windermere’s Fan and On the Razzle (Williamstown Theatre Festival), The Bay at Nice (Hartford Stage), Beauty (La Jolla Playhouse), Twelfth Night and Three Sisters (Chalk Repertory Theatre). His television appearances include “CSI: Miami” and “Confessions of a Dog.”

Carmela Corbett made her SCR debut last fall in Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice, and came back for a reading of Steven Drukman’s new play, Death of the Author. She’s a recent graduate of The Juilliard School’s drama division, where some of her roles included Sorel in Hayfever, Helena in All’s Well that Ends Well, Isabella Bird and Nell in Top Girls, Miss Leighton in Once in a Lifetime and Amy in Mine by Laura Marks. Originally from London, she moved to New York at the age of 19 to study at the Lee Strasberg Institute. She narrates for Audible Books and is a member of the Misrule Theatre Company in the UK.

Heidi Dippold first appeared at SCR in the world premiere of Noah Haidle’s Mr. Marmalade and later in Joe Penhall’s Dumb Show. She recently received a Big Easy Award for her work as Olivia in Twelfth Night at The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival. She has also appeared onstage at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Signature Theatre (New York City) and The Cleveland Play House, to name a few. Favorite television roles include a recurring role on HBO’s “The Sopranos,” serial killing identical twins on “NCIS” and Jeffrey Tambor’s love interest on the sitcom “20 Good Years.” She also has appeared in numerous television commercials.

Leo Marks returns to SCR, after appearing as George in the world premiere of The Language Archive and Bill Walker in Major Barbara. He also has performed at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Washington, D.C.’s Shakespeare Theatre Company, The Old Globe, Intiman Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, Ahmanson Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, Kirk Douglas Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, La MaMa E.T.C., Soho Rep, and Playwrights Horizons, among many others.

Max is making his SCR debut as Sparky, the who forgot how to bark.