Review by Larissa Santiago Escaso
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025.
Nothing brings me more joy in life than to write about things that matter to me. Two of those things are: 1) theater, and 2) Latin/Hispanic American culture. It is not common to see authentic Latino stories told on a Broadway stage- but that’s changing! It is an exciting time for the Latino community in theatre, because April 2025 marks the first time in Broadway history where two authentic Latino stories are being staged simultaneously. And Real Women Have Curves – The Musical is one of them! I had the chance to join R.Evolución Latina and their female/gender expansive program participants during a theatre trip to see this beautiful new musical during previews.
Here’s my take on what we lived on that mezzanine!
Staged in 1987 in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, Real Women Have Curves – The Musical is an empowering story told through the lens of a young, Mexican American woman and her family, all who find themselves in different intersections of life, fiercely confronting challenges in the pursuit of their truth, freedom, and dreams. This new musical, based on the namesake play written by Josefina López, is a fun, heartwarming, coming-of-age, tear-dropping, intergenerational sincere celebration of female Latinidad, and cultural resilience. Playing at the James Earl Jones Theater in New York City, this show is more than your regular commercial musical theatre. It is a unique experience that reminds us of the healing power of theater when it dares to tell the stories of our communities.
There are so many social issues represented through the life of these characters. Ranging from immigration, to family relationships, power dynamics, and class, they all represent nuanced experiences of Latina women, many of which mirror the life experience of women in Hispanic/Latin American households today. There are other male characters in the play, but I will only focus on the main female roles and those in the company that are relevant. Let’s break it down!
The story mainly follows Ana (Tatiana Cordoba), a high school student who secretly applied to a prestigious university and got accepted with a full scholarship, allowing her to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. However, she is caught in between confronting her strict mother, Carmen (Justina Machado), to get her blessing and being excused from her expected role in the operations of the family garment factory. She is the daughter of migrants without documentation, the only American citizen in their family, and the one whose American accent stepped in as a translator… a person who had far more responsibilities she could comprehend at a young age. Her character reminds us of the reality many first generation Americans face, carrying the silent burden of supporting their families seemingly without choice, navigating the guilt of choosing themselves while honoring their responsibility, and showing up unapologetically as they define their dual cultural identity in America.
Estela (Florencia Cuenca), gives us big sister vibes as Ana’s big sibling and owner of the garment factory. In contrast to Ana, she is not an American citizen, and she shows us the bittersweet sentiment of being overshadowed by the young one who the family relies on, despite the difficulties migrant big sisters experience before the young ones are born in America. Estela also shows us, together with her team of seamstresses, how talented and hard working women are despite their challenging circumstances, and how they embrace hardships with grace, both in their professional and professional life.
Carmen (Justina Machado), Ana and Estela’s mother, a Mexican immigrant who gave it all up together with her husband for a better life for her children. A tough woman who loves and protects her daughters, but whose lack of affection clashes at times with her offspring. She is the boss-lady of the household, who embodies and reinforces the pillars of the family’s heritage, through language, food, and tradition, including societal expectations for women, and who also works at the factory. She reminds us of the mothers of our communities, who have been through more challenges than we could ever imagine, yet they say nothing about their past for the sake of moving forward and upward for a better future.
The women seamstresses at the garment factory play an important part in this play. They each have distinctive character traits and show different identities of womanhood across age and gender expression. For example, Pancha (Carla Jimenez) is the working abuela of the shop. Through her wisdom, humor and sweetness, she reminds us of the resilience of those who, powered by the memory of loved ones and cafecito, leave family behind to fiercely pursue their dreams.
Itzel’s character (Aline Mayagoitia) shows the raw experience of what it means to be a person living without documentation in America, from sharing her most personal dreams, the reasons why people like her migrate, and that which keeps them faithful and resilient. She allows the audience to connect with the human behind the immigrant, a simplicity often overlooked by society and the current systems in place.
Mrs. Wright (Claudia Mulet), who is Estela’s client, showcases the potential power imbalances present at unregulated workplaces with unfair practices that exploit their workers due to their vulnerable positions. She also embodies the privileged experience of some “white-passing” light-skinned latinas in professional settings, and how some embrace -even encourage- the erasure of their own heritage in order to become assimilated, and “therefore successful”, in America, a narrative often used within the culture. This character also denotes how social divisions of class are present within groups of women across Hispanic cultures.
Rosali (Jennifer Sanchez) is obsessed with pop culture, fashion, make-up, and astrology, dropping lines from the iconic Walter Mercado (if you know, you know); Prima Flaca (Shelby Acosta) the youngest of the factory ladies, and Prima Fulvia (Sandra Valls) whose style is gender fluid; all three provide a different comedic timing to the play in their own diversity.
All characters continue to embrace and confront their challenges throughout the play, climaxing in a showcase of their victories, inducing an exhilarating and liberating experience for the audience, which evoked a standing ovation mid show- something I never experienced in a show before. We were having a party at the mezzanine, dancing, singing, and clapping to the music, crying tears of joy!
While these characters are all unique and show complex relationships within their contexts, we can sense these general topics that are omnipresent throughout the play.
Immigration- We can see the impact immigration status has over groups of people: the fear of being uprooted, the fight for their dreams, fight for freedom. We also see their courage to keep going, the faith and optimism sourced from the memory of whom they left behind and their ancestors. This story speaks to all of those who have migrated from their home countries to find a better life elsewhere, as well as those who experience life as a first generation American.
Complex Family Dynamics – The show’s depiction of real challenges faced by women of diverse backgrounds, particularly Hispanic and Latina women, becomes a mirror we are to reflect on. One small but deeply memorable example of these are the snarky comments regarding body size, microaggressions spat by authority figures which shape women’s reality, convincing them that the way we look (or don’t) will determine our success in our personal and professional lives.
Showing these experiences in theatre allows the audience to humanize commonly misjudged and stereotyped individuals based on their immigration status. It is now more important and relevant than ever to amplify their voices, and Real Women Have Curves – The Musical achieves that through superb storytelling and performance. Moreover, this story becomes a chance to (re)experience all of our hardships, confront them together with our Real Women stars and stand up for ourselves to have those tough conversations with our family about our future, our lifestyles, our beliefs. To follow our dreams. To pave our own way to freedom. That’s the power of theater when it looks and sounds like the people in their stories. This show opens on Broadway on April 27th, 2025. Run to see it with your families.
Thank you R.Evolución Latina for allowing me to experience the power of community, art, and theatre once again, and for letting me be witness to this historic moment for representation of Latino communities on Broadway!
BIO: Larissa Santiago Escaso is a Puerto Rican artist based in New York City. She has a ten year career as a fashion, pageant, and commercial modeling in San Juan and NYC, studied at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute and has a BA in Liberal Studies from CUNY School of Professional Studies. She is an advocate for mental health services, mentorship, and uplifting Latina women. Currently the Internship & Volunteer Manager at L.O.V.E. Mentoring, overseeing onboarding and recruitment of volunteer mentors. An avid theatre goer, writer, painter, friend of the theatre and its community of the performance artists, in service of Latinx & Hispanic communities in NYC. Follow her on IG: @larissasantiagofficial