Janet Dacal, Justina Machado & More to Star in REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES: THE MUSICAL at A.R.T.

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University has revealed the cast and creative team of Real Women Have Curves: The Musical, a new musical about life’s unexpected curves.  

Featuring an original score by Grammy Award-winning recording artist Joy Huerta (from internationally-renowned Mexican pop duo Jesse&Joy) and Fred Ebb Award winner Benjamin Velez (Kiss My Aztec, The Tempest) and a book by American Theatre Critics Award-winning and Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Lisa Loomer (Roe; The Waiting Room; Girl, Interrupted), 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 & George LaVoo. Music supervision is by Nadia DiGiallonardo (Waitress, Pippin). Direction and choreography are by Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo (Arrabal, Ain’t Too Proud, Jersey Boys). Real Women Have Curves: The Musicalbegins performances at the Loeb Drama Center in Harvard Square, Cambridge on Wednesday, December 6, opens officially on Thursday, December 14, 2023, and runs through Sunday, January 21, 2024.  

Lucy Godínez (she/her) leads the A.R.T. production as Ana, with Shelby Acosta (she/her) as Prima Flaca, Satya Chávez (they/she/he) as Izel, Florencia Cuenca (she/ella) as Estela, Janet Dacal (she/her) as Mrs. Spitz,  Sandra Valls (she/her) as Prima Fulvia, Carla Jimenez as Pancha, Justina Machado(she/her) as Carmen, Edward Padilla (he/him) as Raúl, Sage (they/them) as Henry, and Jennifer Sánchez (she/her) as Rosalí. The ensemble includes Shadia Fairuz (she/her), Elisa Galindez (she/ella), Michael Keyloun (he/him), Christopher M. Ramirez (he/him), and Arusi Santi (he/him). Amy Lizardo(she/her), Kayla Quiroz (she/her), and Gus Stuckey (he/they) are offstage swings. 

It's the summer of 1987 in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, and after eighteen years under the roof of her immigrant parents, Ana is ready to spread her wings. Her dreams of college and a career in New York City are bursting at the seams, but her family’s expectations would keep her home working at their garment factory. Is it worth sacrificing the dreams of her family, who have sacrificed everything for her? Based on the play by Josefina López that inspired the iconic hit film, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical is an empowering world-premiere musical that explores life’s unexpected curves. 

Trujillo and DiGiallonardo are joined on the Real Women Have Curves: The Musical creative team by scenic designer Arnulfo Maldonado, costume designers Wilberth Gonzalez and Paloma Young, lighting designer Natasha Katz, sound designer Walter Trarbach, and projection designer Hana Kim. Roberto Sinha is the music director. Emi Lirman is associate director, Liz Ramos is associate choreographer, and Alex Crosby is associate music director.  

Molly Meg Legal is the production stage manager and is joined by assistant stage managers Alfredo Macias and Cate Agis. Casting is by co-casting directors Victor Vazquez and Duncan Stewart. Casting associate Patrick Maravilla. 

“The night Kamala Harris was named candidate for Vice President I understood why this story should be revisited today,” said book writer Loomer. “We are living in a moment of BIPOC women truly coming into power, and in each of their acceptance speeches, they thank their immigrant mothers. This musical is about that relationship, the complications of being the daughter of an immigrant mother. In a sense, it is about how a young woman becomes a Kamala Harris or an AOC. And it’s full of the passion, pain, desires, conflicts—and humor—that beg to be musicalized.” 

“Part of my affinity for Real Women Have Curves is a desire to pay homage to the women—to our mothers, our aunts, our cousins, our friends—who have given us so much,” said director and choreographer Trujillo. “I want the Latino community, the brown community to see themselves in these stories. My experience as the son of undocumented immigrants inspires me to do justice to our community.” 

A.R.T.’s 2023/24 season support is provided by Harvard University, The Barr Foundation, The Bob and Alison Murchison New Work Development Fund, The Shubert Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Barton & Guestier, and Meyer Sound.  

TICKETING INFORMATION 

Tickets from $35 are available at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/RealWomenHaveCurves  
Discounts are available to students and ticket-buyers under age 25, Blue Star families, EBT cardholders, seniors, Harvard faculty and staff, and others. More information at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/PlanYourVisit.