Announced today Tony nominations include:
Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
Music & Lyrics: Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Justina Machado
Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
Music & Lyrics: Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez
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Reviewed by ODALYS NANIN
Photos by Julieta Cervantes @j_cervantes
New York City, NY (The Hollywood Times) 5/1/25 –
RECOMMENDED-Don’t Walk RUN to see this play!
Real Women Have Curves the musical takes flight under the genius direction of Sergio Trujillo whose brilliant choreography, flawless set transitions and vision soars to great heights. The book was brilliantly penned by Lisa Loomer with Nell Benjamin based on the original play by Josefina López; who’s Chicana feminist’s signature voice is the key thread in her plays.
“Mujeres Poderosas” powerful Latina women who are underrepresented immigrant mothers, daughters and wives on our nation’s main stages. Josefina wrote this play at the ripe age of eighteen, based on her own personal experiences while working at her sister’s dress shop in Boyle Heights, CA in 1987.
Her young protagonist is Ana García who is not afraid to speak her mind and is performed by Tatiana Córdoba who shines in the role. Córdoba’s performance is fiery, bold and might put her in line for a Tony nomination. Ana, the only US citizen in the García family, is a high school graduate whose big dream of becoming a writer goes against her mother’s wishes of staying put and working at the family business. Every Latina is expected to accomplish two important things: get married and procreate.
Unsatisfied with her pre-determined destiny, Ana wants to break free. She achieves this by receiving a writing scholarship to Columbia University. She wants to fly away from the nest but not without her mother’s blessing. Here in lies the major conflict, her mother Carmen, powerfully performed by Justina Machado, wants to protect her from disenchantment and pain, thus not wanting her to leave home. Mauricio Mendoza plays Ana’s father Raúl who is charming in the role. Mason Reeves is believable as Henry who’s Ana’s first boyfriend. He’s nerdy and charming.
When the eight women at the family dress shop are faced with the goal of making 200 dresses in three weeks, they rise to the challenge singing “Make It Work,” a mantra to tackle whatever obstacles come your way, to turn it around and make it work! Rounding out the cast are the other six women who work at the garment shop run by Ana’s sister Estela, performed with conviction by Florencia Cuenca, Rosalí performed by Jennifer Sanchez, and Pancha by Carla Jimenez who tells Carmen she’s not pregnant but has menopause. They sing “Adios Andres,” referring to their monthly periods. Prima Flaca is played by Shelby Acosta. The character Itzel is played by Aline Mayagoitia who sings “If I Were A Bird” one of the most endearing songs in the production, that is born of her wishes to be like a bird who can fly over many countries without borders. And last but not least is Sandra Valls’s performance as Fulvia whose distinct style of dressing gives every indication that she’s the rainbow in the family, although it’s never mentioned everyone knows. Sandra has the funniest punch lines delivering them with precision.
The set by Arnulfo Maldonado is designed with floral colors, green palm trees and the sunset reds of the Los Angeles skyline enhanced by Natasha Katz’s light design.
There are a total of 15 vibrant heartfelt musical numbers created by Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez. My favorite is the one that gives the show its name, it is when Ana defies her mother in regard to her weight by taking off her blouse and proudly showing her curves…”Real Women Have Curves” received a mid-show standing ovation! The show is a palpable stream of complex emotions, vibrant songs and funny one-liners making it a crowd pleaser! This marks the 35-year anniversary of Josefina Lopez ’s play, and the journey is a realization of all her dreams. (Actually, and factually, Josefina López wrote the first scenes of the play in March of 1988 at the INTAR (International Arts Relations) Hispanic Playwrights in Residence Laboratory led by Playwright María Irene Fornés. Josefina López completed the first draft of her play, “Real Women Have Curves” in June 1988, also at the INTAR (International Arts Relations) Hispania Playwrights in Residence Laboratory.)
This marks the 35-year anniversary of the play which promotes body positivity in all its forms.
James Earl Jones Theatre – 138 West 48th Street New York, NY 10038
