Broadway musicals usually don’t obtain mid-show standing ovations.
Nevertheless, generally songs inside these skilled productions are so good, so highly effective and so uncooked, the one protection the viewers has is to face and cheer.
Almost three quarters of the best way in to the show-stopping “Real Women Have Curves,” our ensemble busts out the present’s title monitor whereas ahem busting out of their tops whereas working in a sweltering manufacturing facility. They’re doing every little thing they will to complete an order to finish 200 clothes in time to satisfy an inconceivable deadline.
Whereas the situation is tense, our heroines are having a blast. On the present I attended, the group was too. When the tune concluded, a wave of appreciative followers stood and emphatically cheered. Then, we took our seats and the present continued.
That was simply one in every of many unforgettable moments on this boisterous, crowd-pleasing musical on the James Earl Jones Theatre in Midtown Manhattan.
“Real Women Have Curves,” which relies on the 2002 movie starring America Ferrera and George Lopez, opened on Broadway this previous April. Within the month since its opening, the musical has netted two Tony nominations for Finest Featured Actress in a Musical for Justina Machado and Finest Authentic Rating but that undersells the jubilant, uplifting power emanating from director Sergio Trujillo’s stage.
What’s it wish to see this emotionally satisfying one-of-a-kind present reside?
Effectively, let’s begin earlier than the curtain comes up.
The James Earl Jones Theatre
Upon entrance on the recently-renovated James Earl Jones Theatre, one shortly notices how intimate the 1,082-seat area is. The seats within the balcony are spacious however they’re all near the stage. Even should you’re within the final row, you’re not too removed from the motion.
That’s hardly the venue’s finest function although.
Based on Playbill, “the newly constructed wing off the building’s western face with a grand staircase, elevator, accessible bathrooms, concession areas, lounge, dressing rooms, and rehearsal space” are only a few of the Theatre’s options that received a facelift.
When you’ve taken inventory of the facilities, you’ll discover a colourful, tropical backdrop onstage that evokes a sunny summer season day. The temper has been set.
“Real Women Have Curves” abstract
“RWHC” tells the story of 18-year-old Los Angeleno Ana Garcia (the magnetic Tatianna Córdoba). She goals of attending Columbia College in NYC, which she has been accepted into on a full scholarship. The one downside is her mom, Carmen (Tony-nominated Justina Machado), desires her to remain and work along with her and her older sister Estela (pitch-perfect Florencia Cuenca) tailoring clothes. One other sticking level? Ana is the one U.S. citizen within the household and is required for dealing with the bureaucratic problems with on a regular basis life.
The stress boils to a fever pitch when a purchaser asks Estela — who runs the enterprise — to accepts a suggestion to supply 200 clothes in simply two weeks. This seemingly inconceivable activity forces the household to look deep inside and work out what they actually need.
Whereas that workmanlike plot gives a story engine, the charming immigrant characters and body-positive, empowering message is what makes the well timed story resonate.
Ideas on “Real Women Have Curves”
We’ll be trustworthy. The hero’s journey inside “Real Women Have Curves” is nothing to put in writing house about.
But, the inventory story flies by because of emotive performances, full of life songs and heavy-hitting social weightiness. On this case, the “finish a job by a deadline!” plot is a clean slate to attract upon; “Real Women Have Curves” is all in regards to the artistry within the margins, which elevates the story at hand right here.
What we liked
All all through the present, multi-cam sitcom-type jokes hit arduous. When Pancha (Carla Jimenez delivering a breakout star-making efficiency filled with gravitas and panache) says “say adiós to Andres” when Mrs. García realizes she’s going by means of menopause, the James Earl Jones Theatre erupted. This wasn’t only a snort, this felt extra like a gut-busting dialog with a good friend. These characters weren’t simply stand-ins. They’re actual, relatable individuals who could possibly be your neighbors, cousins, friends. It’s that verisimilitude that saved the group engaged for the two-hour-plus runtime.
As lived-in because the present is, it needs to be famous that “Real Women Have Curves” can also be a dynamic musical. The manufacturing’s opening tune, the “Make It Work,” is a singalong “In The Heights”-esque ear worm and brings the textual content to life by means of music. Not solely can we get a way for a way these dressmakers should make issues work with their restricted sources, we really feel it by means of the power coursing by means of the theater, which at occasions felt extra like a live performance than a Broadway musical.
And let’s not overlook the amazingly executed sequences inside the musical. A punchy back-and-forth between younger Ana and the blonde purchaser wasn’t authentic — we received’t spoil why — however performs out so successfully, it’s arduous to not marvel at how well-constructed the dialogue and blocking is.
On a technical degree, “RWHC” makes essentially the most of its charming, DIY units. The manufacturing facility, home and restaurant roll out and in effortlessly taking us from scene to scene with out a hitch. Whereas different productions depend on outsized theatrics, this musical proves you don’t want spectacle to ship top-notch drama (and comedy).
Closing verdict
“Real Women Have Curves” is an successfully informed crowd pleaser that the forged and crew actually “make work.”
Common themes like household, goals, youth, generationally trauma pulse all through the heartwarming, emotionally satisfying musical that overcomes its pitfalls and most hackneyed concepts (and barely overlong runtime) because of wonderful performances, snort out loud punchlines and party-starting, dance-floor prepared songs that may soften even essentially the most cynical of viewers members.
The nice right here is nice and greater than outweighs my minor quibbles with the musical.
Given the chance, you need to truly go. Simply be cautious, you could be moved to ship a standing ovation mid-show.
“Real Women Have Curves” schedule
As of now, “Actual Ladies Have Curves runs eight nights every week from Tuesday by means of at New York Metropolis’s James Earl Jones Theatre.
Matinees go down Wednesdays (2 p.m.), Saturdays (2 p.m.) and Sundays (3 p.m.). The manufacturing goes darkish on Mondays.
On the time of publication, the present will run till Oct. 5, 2025.
For those who’d wish to snag seats to the present of your selecting, you could find seats for all upcoming “Real Women Have Curves” exhibits right here.
The present runs two hours and 20 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.
“Real Women Have Curves” forged
For people who need to match names to faces, right here’s a bit about every of the 5 largest gamers within the “Real Women Have Curves” forged, courtesy of the musical’s web site.
Tatianna Córdoba (Ana García) Tatianna is SO excited to be making her Broadway debut! This Bay Space native is a proud Latina/Filipina who acquired a BFA in Musical Theater from Boston Conservatory. HUGE thank-you to the DGRW household, the Córdoba 5, Joe, and the RWHC workforce for believing in her.
Justina Machado (Carmen García) A proficient and versatile actress, Justina Machado continues to endear audiences and earn essential acclaim engaged on stage, tv, and movie. She stars in Netflix’s upcoming “Pulse” and was beforehand in Prime Video’s “The Horror of Dolores Roach.” She is finest recognized for her work in “One Day at a Time” and “Six Feet Under.” On stage, Machado beforehand held roles in A Free Man of Coloration and Within the Heights. She was nominated for an Elliot Norton Award for her position in Actual Ladies Have Curves by the Latino Chicago Theatre Firm.
Florence Cuenca (Estela García) Broadway debut! First Mexican immigrant to originate a co-leading position in a Broadway musical. Authentic Actual Ladies Have Curves ART forged. Off-Broadway: A By no means-Ending Line, Youngsters of Salt. Initiatives: Broadway en Spanglish (Harmony), Lincoln Middle, Little Island, MASS MoCA. Gracias, IKIGAI Administration. Para mi familia. Jaime & Alonzo los amo todo siempre.
Mauricio Mendoza (Raúl García) Notable roles embody regional theater: Addams Household, 9, Anna within the Tropics, Within the Heights. TV/Movie: “Resurrection Blvd.”, “Matlock,” “The Oval,” “Reboot,” “The Santa Clauses,” “Criminal Minds,” “NCIS,” Blow, Ruthless. Proud member of Actors Fairness, AFTRA-SAG, and PGA. Co-Proprietor of True Type Movies together with his spouse, Yeniffer Behrens.
Jennifer Sánchez (Rosalí) A number of of Sánchez’s largest components embody work on Broadway: Elf, The Rose Tattoo, Fairly Lady, Sunday within the Park With George, On Your Toes!, Spider-Man, Ghost, Ladies on the Verge, West Facet Story. Off-Broadway: The Alchemist. Movie: Kiss of the Spider Lady. “Para mi familia, Sánchez y Padilla.”
Tony-nominated Broadway musicals
Hoping to catch a couple of extra musicals in Midtown earlier than Tony Sunday?
In that case, listed here are simply 5 you completely received’t need to miss reside these subsequent few months.
• “Death Becomes Her”
• “Sunset Boulevard”
• “Maybe Happy Ending”
• “Dead Outlaw”
• “Just In Time”
Nonetheless want much more? Check out our checklist of all of the 2025 Tony-nominated exhibits on Broadway to seek out the one for you.
This text was written by Matt Levy, New York Put up reside occasions reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the most recent tour bulletins out of your favourite musical artists and comedians, in addition to Broadway openings, sporting occasions and extra reside exhibits – and finds nice ticket costs on-line. Since he began his tenure on the Put up in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen live performance and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to call a couple of. Please observe that offers can expire, and all costs are topic to vary
