The real housewives of Brentwood, with Brooke Shields and Leslie Bibb

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The lives of rich, spoiled housewives from Atlanta to Washington have become a stubborn staple of the reality TV landscape. If, for some reason, Bravo’s popular, six-property franchise hasn’t already sated your appetite for designer cat fights and plastic-surgeried grand guignol, a new play by Roger Kumble called ‘Girls Talk’ may be exactly what you need ... or deserve.

‘Girls Talk’ delves into the lives of Brentwood’s elite mothers and the power games they play to stave off the boredom. The production, set to officially open March 18 at the Lee Strasberg Theatre in West Hollywood, will star Brooke Shields, Leslie Bibb, Andréa Benewald and Constance Zimmer. Organizers said the play will send up all sorts of bad maternal behavior including nanny poaching, elitist book clubs and competing for the best preschools.

Kumble, whose film credits include ‘Cruel Intentions’ and ‘The Sweetest Thing,’ will direct the production. In 2003, the writer-director turned his satirical pen to the world of Hollywood power brokers in ‘Turnaround,’ which caused a paparazzi frenzy when the production starring David Schwimmer opened at the Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood.

All the fuss was apparently justified. ‘Kumble’s mordant examination of Hollywood hucksterism is witty and uncompromising stuff, a riotously funny package that builds in dramatic intensity -- tear gas leaking out of a whoopee cushion,’ wrote a Times reviewer.

Kumble’s other stage credits include the comedies ‘Pay or Play’ and ‘d girl.’ Shields recently appeared on stage at the Ahmanson Theatre in the musical ‘Leap of Faith.’

‘Girls Talk’ is set to end its limited engagement on April 24.

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Theater review: ‘Leap of Faith’ at the Ahmanson Theatre

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‘Leap of Faith,’ ‘Next to Normal,’ ‘God of Carnage’ set for Ahmanson Theatre’s 2010-11 season

-- David Ng