Photos: Get a First Look at REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES: THE MUSICAL at American Repertory Theater

Twenty years after the award-winning film “showed Latinas they can love themselves, no matter their size” (Pop Sugar), American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University brings to the stage an empowering story that explores the immigrant experience, friendship, and big dreams. Created by an award-winning team of Latine artists, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical is a show that celebrates living life out loud.

Get a first look at photos below!

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.  

Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo (Arrabal, Ain’t Too Proud, Jersey Boys), this world-premiere musical features a book by award-winning playwright Lisa Loomer (Roe; The Waiting Room; Girl, Interrupted) with additional material by Nell Benjamin and an original score by Grammy-winning recording artist Joy Huerta (from world-renowned Mexican pop duo Jesse&Joy) and Fred Ebb Award winner Benjamin Velez (Kiss My Aztec). Music supervision is by Nadia DiGiallonaro (Waitress, Pippin).  
 

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 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 Musical officially opens tonight, Thursday, December 14, 2023 at the Loeb Drama Center in Harvard Square, Cambridge  and runs through Sunday, January 21, 2024.  

The production is lead by Lucy Godínez (she/her) as Ana and Justina Machado (she/her) as Carmen. It features Shelby Acosta (she/her) as Prima Flaca, Satya Chávez(they/she/he) as Izel, Florencia Cuenca (she/ella) as Estela, Yvette González-Nacer (she/her) as Mrs. Wright, Carla Jimenez as Pancha,  Edward Padilla (he/him) as Raúl, Mason Reeves (he/him) as Henry Cole, Jennifer Sánchez (she/her) as Rosalí, and Sandra Valls (she/her) as Prima Fulvia.   

Photo credit: Nile Hawver/Maggie Hall