The playwright, Josefina López, chats with De Los about her production inspired by East L.A., set to open in New York on April 27. So, before “Real Women Have Curves” became a play or a big-shot film, it was just a little idea López jotted down in her journal during her breaks at a garment factory in Boyle Heights. She pulled inspiration from her fellow seamstresses — ladies hanging out at the edges of society — who still managed to shine with joy and wisdom despite their tough circumstances. “My goal was to show people the guts it takes to be someone who’s been pushed aside but still finds a way to love themselves,” shared López over a quick Zoom chat.
Fast forward to over two decades since the film’s 2002 release — the one that introduced us to the amazing America Ferrera — and López’s L.A. dream is finally getting its time to shine in New York. Directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, “Real Women Have Curves: The Musical” will have its big Broadway premiere on April 27 at the James Earl Jones Theater. This timeless tale from the Eastside focuses on Ana García, a determined teen with big dreams, who often clashes with her traditional Mexican mother, Carmen. The story delves into issues of body image and personal freedom within a community of immigrant women, often seen working hard in a garment factory during the scorching summer of 1987.
The cast of the musical includes newcomer Tatianna Córdoba, Justina Machado from Netflix’s “One Day at a Time,” and Florencia Cuenca. The music for the show will be by Mexican singer Joy Huerta and composer Benjamin Velez. López believes the timing of the musical’s debut is just perfect. “This story is coming out exactly when we need to change the narrative about immigrants and how they’re viewed as criminals,” said López, pointing to recent deportation attempts by the Trump administration.
On the first day of rehearsals, López gave a heartfelt speech about why she felt compelled to pen “Real Women Have Curves” 37 years ago. Being an undocumented young woman from San Luis Potosí, Mexico, López poured much of her own experiences into the story. “I felt like there was something magical and special about that time in my life,” López shared with the cast. “Even if the world tells you that you’re disposable, that you don’t matter, that you’re not even human, there’s a part of you that says, ‘No, I am human.'”
Similar to Ana’s journey from Boyle Heights to New York City to chase her dreams, López made a similar move at 18, attending the INTAR Hispanic Playwrights in Residence Laboratory led by María Irene Fornés. This was where she began shaping her ideas into a play, which would eventually become “Real Women Have Curves.” The play premiered in San Francisco in 1990 and had subsequent productions across the country, catching the eye of film producer George LaVoo in 1998. Together, they adapted it into a film, with America Ferrera taking on the lead role.
Following the success of the film, there were a few failed attempts to turn the story into a musical until López met Trujillo, a Tony Award-winning choreographer. Trujillo’s understanding of the struggles of being undocumented made him the perfect fit for the project. This Broadway debut marks a full-circle moment for López, who once imagined “Real Women Have Curves” being showcased during her time in New York. Maybe she even manifested its fate during a scene in the 2002 film. “It is my story and it is my destiny,” López reflected.
And there you have it — the journey of “Real Women Have Curves” from a dream in a journal to a Broadway musical.
