ACTORS' PLAYHOUSE: BOMBSHELLS A DELIGHT 

By Ron Levitt
Florida Media News 

CORAL GABLES, FL --  Not wanting to sound like a male chauvinist, but it's  a woman's world (ask any man)!!   But, at the Actors' Playhouse these days – who cares?  There's  an entertaining bit of theatrical excellence entitled Bombshells.–dishing out  a variety of female subjects including health, career, nannies, kids, and – of course – the male species–but, most of all, friendship.

It's not your usual musical.  First, it is based on a dish and tell book written by six Miami area women.  Next,  playwright-lyricist-composer Jeanette Hopkins  -- with an assist from the Actors' creative crew ---  put the book to music.  And, then G-Four Productions – a well known local company – became involved.  And then, Director David Arisco put together six mucho-talented South Florida ladies to star in this world-premiere production.  The Result –  a delightful musical which will charm both sexes.

It's the kind of show which will probably be picked up by dozens of venues nationally.  It is not great, thunderous theatre. But, it is funﾅand it is clever.     It is in the mode of Menopause, the highly successful all-women, all-song production of a few years back.  But, (one man's opinion)  Bombshells is more interesting, has better music, and this cast is near-perfection.  Based on a 2005 book – Dish and Tell: Life, Love & Secrets – Bombshells is particularly enticing because of the frank honesty of the script and lyrics – sometimes explosive but mostly with a light, entertaining touch.  The most revealing part of the story is that these six ladies tell it like it is!

As Pat, a golden-voiced  Melissa Minyard gets things rolling with  "Let's Air Our Laundry Out Loud"  and her five gal-pals  follow suit with a series of memorable tunes.  The wonderful Margot Moreland, as Tammy,  hits s homer with "Can't Get You Out of My Heart,"  while Annie (Laura Hodos) and Sara (Laura Turnbull) turn to comedy with the "Dieter's Lament."  As Mercedes, the lovely Patty Gardner pays tribute to the parents with "My Mothers/Father's  Hands."

As noted earlier, Bombshells will probably go on to bigger and better things as it plays theatres across the nation. The producers would be well-served  if somehow they could take this Miami area cast with the show wherever it goes. They were that good!

Obviously, I liked this show.  But, what does a man know, anyhow?