Real Women Have Curves Begins Performances on Broadway

Shelby Acosta, Jennifer Sánchez, Florencia Cuenca, Carla Jimenez and Sandra Valls. Photo: Avery Brunkus

The night marked 15 Broadway debuts (out of 19 actors), including the show’s lead actress, Tatianna Cordoba, and some notable Broadway debuts on the creative team, including co-composers Benjamin Velez and Grammy Award-winning pop star Joy Huerta, of Mexican pop duo Jesse & Joy.

The show’s Director and Choreographer Sergio Trujillo took to the stage during the curtain call to acknowledge this special moment for so many members of the company. 

Based on the iconic HBO film, the show spotlights the LatinX community and covers several timely and important themes including immigration, feminism and sisterhood, body positivity, family, and ambition. Last night’s audience was incredibly warm, stopping the show several times for prolonged applause and giving the cast a mid-show standing ovation during the musical’s title number “Curves.”

The musical officially opens on Sunday, April 27 at the James Earl Jones Theatre. Please find additional information below!

Real Women Have Curves: The Musical is a funny, joyous, and empowering new show coming to Broadway this April. It’s the summer of 1987, and Ana Garcia dreams of flying away from East Los Angeles. But when her family receives a make-or-break order for 200 dresses, Ana finds herself juggling her own ambitions, her mother’s expectations, and a community of women all trying to make it work against the odds. Based on the play by Josefina López that inspired the iconic hit film, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical is “a winner, with a big heart and joyous abandon” (The Boston Globe). “It makes us feel we can all soar!” (WBUR).

The musical stars Broadway newcomer Tatianna Córdoba as ambitious high school senior Ana, film and television actress Justina Machado (“One Day at a Time,” “Pulse,”) as Carmen, Ana’s hardworking mother who imagines a traditional life for her daughter, Florencia Cuenca (Broadway debut) as Estela, Shelby Acosta (1776) as Prima Flaca, Carla Jimenez (Broadway debut) as Pancha, Aline Mayagoitia (Broadway debut, Six Boleyn Tour) as Itzel, Mauricio Mendoza as Raúl, Mason Reeves (Broadway debut, Frozen National Tour) as Henry, Jennifer Sánchez (Elf) as Rosalí, Sandra Valls (Broadway debut) as Prima Fulvia, along with Ariana Burks, Quincy Hampton, Zeus Mendoza, Claudia Mulet, Christopher M. Ramirez, Monica Tulia Ramirez, Shadia Fairuz, Elisa Galindez, and Omar Madden. 

The musical features direction & choreography by Tony and Olivier Award winner Sergio Trujillo, music and lyrics by Grammy Award-winning artist Joy Huerta and composer/lyricist Benjamin Velez, book by Lisa Loomer with Nell Benjamin, and music supervision by Nadia DiGiallonardo. Real Women Have Curves: The Musical will also feature music direction by Roberto Sinha, scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado, costume design by Wilberth Gonzalez and Tony Award winner Paloma Young, lighting design by eight-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz, sound design by Tony Award winner John Shivers, video design by Tony Award winner Hana S. Kim, hair, wig, and make-up design by Krystal Balleza & Will Vicari, orchestrations by Nadia DiGiallonardo, Joy Huerta, Rich Mercurio, and Benjamin Velez, and casting by X Casting/Victor Vazquez, CSA and ARC/Duncan Stewart, CSA. Tripp Phillips serves as Production Stage Manager, B.J. Holt as General Manager, and Alecia Parker as Executive Producer.

Real Women Have Curves: The Musical is based on the play by Josefina López and HBO’s Real Women Have Curves (screenplay by Josefina López and George LaVoo). American Repertory Theater (A.R.T) at Harvard University produced the musical’s critically acclaimed world premiere in 2023.