Roger Kumble, David Elzer and Molly O'Keefe will present a world premiere play, GIRLS TALK, written and directed by Roger Kumble (turnaround, d girl) and starring Andréa Benewald ("Suddenly Susan"), Leslie Bibb ("Talledega Nights"), Brooke Shields ("Lipstick Jungle"), and Constance Zimmer ("Entourage"). GIRLS TALK will preview on Tuesday, March 15; Wednesday, March 16 & Thursday, March 17 at 8pm and will open on Friday, March 18 at 8pm and run through Sunday, April 24 at the Lee Strasberg Theatre, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood.
After an eight-year absence from the Los Angeles theatre scene, following turnaround, starring
David Schwimmer,
Jonathan Silverman and
Tom Everett Scott, Roger Kumble returns for his fourth foray into the world of narcissistic Hollywood power brokers. This time he sets his sights on Brentwood's status climbing mommies. These "d girls" from the nineties now find themselves caught up in a world filled of their own power plays - including nanny poaching, elitist book clubs, and worst of all...pre-school applications - in this hilarious new comedy that is sure to get all of Hollywood's boys and girls "talk"-ing.
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM
ROGER KUMBLE (Director/Playwright) began his career as a playwright in 1993 with the Hollywood satire Pay or Play, which garnered him the LA Weekly Award for Best Comic Writing. His second play, 1997's d girl, starring
David Schwimmer, earned him four Drama-logue Awards. In 2003, Kumble completed his Hollywood trilogy with the critically acclaimed Turnaround, again starring
David Schwimmer, which sold out its entire run in Los Angeles.
Kumble made his feature-film-directorial debut with 1999's Sony Pictures box-office hit, Cruel Intentions, his adaptation of
Choderlos de Laclos' Les Liaisons Dangereuses, starring
Sarah Michelle Gellar,
Ryan Phillippe,
Reese Witherspoon and
Selma Blair; his screenplay transposed the French classic to modern New York. He followed with the Sony Pictures comedy The Sweetest Thing, starring
Cameron Diaz,
Christina Applegate,
Selma Blair and
Thomas Jane,
New Line Cinema's Just Friends, starring
Ryan Reynolds, Anna Ferris and
Amy Smart and Disney's successful family-comedy College Road Trip starring
Martin Lawrence, Raven Simone and
Donny Osmond. Most recently, he directed
Brendan Fraser and
Brooke Shields in Summit Entertainment & Participant Media's Furry Vengeance.
For television, Kumble created the series Manchester Prep and has directed episodes of Showtime's Out of Order with
Eric Stoltz and
Felicity Huffman and NBC's Kath & Kim with
Molly Shannon,
Selma Blair and
John Michael Higgins. He is a graduate of
Northwestern University and lives in Los Angeles with his wife Mary and three young children.
GIRLS TALK has assembled an award-winning design team. The set design is by
Tom Buderwitz. The lighting design is by Christie Wright. The costume design is by
Ann Closs-Farley. The sound design is by Doug Newell. The casting director is Bonnie Zane. The stage manager is Patricia Sutherland. The play will be produced by Roger Kumble,
David Elzer and Molly O'Keefe.
ABOUT THE CAST
ANDRÉA BENDEWALD is best known for playing Maddy Piper on the hit series "Suddenly Susan" starring
Brooke Shields. She originated the role of Lisa in the critically acclaimed play d girl, written by Roger Kumble, and enjoyed taking her one woman show, ABOVE AND BEYOND to the Aspen Comedy Festival and runs both in NY and LA.
Television credits include: "Without A Trace," "The Game," "According To Jim," "Two And A Half Men," "House," "Entourage," "CSI," "Miami, Center Of The Universe," "Men Behaving Badly," "That 70's Show," "Providence," "Ellen," "Friends," "Seinfeld," "That's Life," and "Secret Lives Of Men." Andréa is a graduate of the School of Performing Arts and holds a BFA in Theatre from Wright State University.
Leslie Bibb has established herself as one of Hollywood's most captivating film and television actresses. Most recently, Bibb completed production on an untitled film comprised of short comedy segments where she plays "Wonder Woman" opposite
Jason Sudeikis' "Batman" and
Justin Long's "Robin". She will next be seen in Sony's "The Zookeeper" alongside
Adam Sandler,
Kevin James, Jon Favreau and
Judd Apatow. Earlier this year Bibb reprised her role of Vanity Fair reporter Christine Everhart in Paramount's "Iron Man 2" opposite
Robert Downey Jr. Additionally, Bibb produced and starred in "Miss Nobody," which premiered at this year's Seattle International Film Festival. The comedy also stars
Adam Goldberg, Brandon Routh, and Missy Pyle.. In 2009 Bibb portrayed
Isla Fisher's rival in "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and in 2006 starred as
Will Ferrell's wife in the comedy "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." Bibb's other films include the original "Iron Man" with
Robert Downey Jr. and
Gwyneth Paltrow, "Law Abiding Citizen" opposite
Gerard Butler and
Jamie Foxx, "The Skulls", and "See Spot Run.
On the small screen Bibb had notable recurring roles on NBC's "Crossing Jordan" in season 5 and 6 as Detective Lu Simmons and in the 9th season of NBC's "ER" as medical student Erin Harkins. Her other memorable guest roles include HBO's "Entourage" as well as FX's "Nip/Tuck" and "The League."
Brooke Shields is an accomplished television, film, and theatre actress and model, Shields began her career at the age of 9. After receiving a degree in French Literature and graduating with honors from Princeton University, she made her Broadway debut in Grease for which she won the Theatre Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut, then went on to star in Cabaret, Wonderfultown, and Chicago. Her Off-Broadway credits include Love Letters, Vagina Monologues, Love, Loss, and What I Wore, to name a few and she most recently starred in the world premiere of Leap of Faith at the
Ahmanson Theatre. She has starred in such films as
Louis Malle's "Pretty Baby,"
Franco Zeffirelli's "Endless Love," Matthew Bright's "Freeway,: James Toback's "Black and White," and Roger Kumble's "FurryVengeance." For television, Shields was nominated for a Golden Globe for her own hit comedy series "Suddenly Susan." She is the recipient of five People's Choice Awards and is the author of the NY Times bestseller "Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression", and children's
books, "Welcome To Your World, Baby" and "It's the Best Day Ever Dad."
CONSTANCE ZIMMER was born in Seattle and raised in Newport Beach, California, she has steadily built a solid and successful career. Since she started acting, she has portrayed a wide variety of roles in commercials, plays, television and independent films. Recently, Zimmer was added as a series regular on
David Kelly's acclaimed drama, "Boston Legal," playing sharp-tongued attorney, ‘Claire Simms.' She also continues in her recurring role on HBO's "Entourage," in which she plays
Jeremy Piven's ex-girlfriend and studio executive on the rise, ‘Dana Gordon.' Last season, Zimmer played a lawyer who grows up privileged and is fighting to earn the respect of her peers in ABC's drama, "In Justice."
Zimmer attended the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. After finishing, she continued to study with renowned teachers such as
Stella Adler and Arthur Mendoza which quickly led her to doing plays. Zimmer has used her brains, enthusiasm, and charisma as a professional fundraiser for charitable foundations such as AIDS Project Los Angeles, Tuesday's Child, and The American Cinematheque. She made her television debut in the comedy series "Ellen" and earn
Ed Kudos (a "Best Actress" Dramalogue Award) in the Los Angeles play "Catholic School Girls." More television roles followed with guest-starring appearances on "Seinfeld," "King of Queens," "X- Files," "Philly," "Providence," and "Gideon's Crossing." Zimmer also had recurring roles on "
Joan of Arcadia", "The Wayans Brothers," "Hyperion Bay," "The Trouble with Normal," and "The Fighting Fitzgeralds." She also appeared in the Hallmark Channel movie, "Mystery Woman" opposite Kellie Martin and
Robert Wagner. Her feature film credits include the independent films "Warm Blooded Killers," "Senseless," "Home Room," "
Spin Cycle" and the upcoming "American East" with
Tony Shaloub and "The Hammer" opposite Adam Carolla. The NBC hit comedy "Good Morning Miami," by the creators of "Will &Grace" marked the actress' first series regular role. Zimmer portrayed `Penny,' the witty and burned-out office assistant to
Mark Feuerstein's character.
GIRLS TALK will preview on Tuesday, March 15, Wednesday, March 16 & Thursday, March 17 at 8pm and will open on Friday, March 18 and will run through Sunday, April 24 at the
Lee Strasberg -
Marilyn Monroe Theatre, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sunday matinees at 3pm. Ticket prices are $34.00 for all performances. $20 for previews.
For Tickets, please call 1-800-595-4849 or visit www.tix.com.
