The immigrant experience takes center stage on Broadway this spring as “Real Women Have Curves: The Musical” explores Latino culture in America with a predominantly Latino cast playing characters not usually portrayed on the biggest stages.
“We are here. We are the largest consumer demographic in North America,” said director and choreographer Sergio Trujillo, a Tony- and Olivier Award-winner.
“We represent the vast majority of immigrants in this country. We believe in making a better life for ourselves. We believe in the American Dream. We are a hardworking, devoted, happy and joyful community. I want to be able to represent all of those wonderful colors in what I know how to do and that’s through musicals.”
Based on the play by Josefina López that inspired the HBO's film, “Real Women Have Curves: The Musical” follows Ana Garcia, as she dreams of flying away from East Los Angeles and her family's sewing factory. But when her family receives a dress order that could make or break their businesses, she finds herself juggling her ambitions, her mother’s expectations and a community of women trying to make it work despite the odds.
Preview performances for “Real Women Have Curves: The Musical” are set to begin Tuesday at the James Earl Jones Theatre, ahead of opening night on April 27.
Along with “Buena Vista Social Club," which opened on March 19, the musical is one of the few shows on Broadway since “In the Heights” and “On Your Feet!” with a predominantly Latino cast.
The musical works to encapsulate the long hours many Latino mothers worked and sacrificed to make their children dreams come true.
Trujillo was drawn to do the show because he was inspired by the movie’s message of resilience and the authenticity of the Latino immigrant experience. The son of a seamstress, Trujillo said him directing and choreographing is in honor of his mom.
Trujillo, who is of Colombian heritage, said the musical is a way for him to empower the Latino community, through a story where they can see themselves.
For Aline Mayagoitia, the musical marks her Broadway debut and she couldn't be more excited. Mayagoitia plays a factory worker from Guatemala, a character she says she never imagined seeing on Broadway. She said she's honored to serve as representation for the experiences of many Latinos in the U.S.
“To demonstrate that on stage, on Broadway, I think is pretty historic,” Mayagoitia said. “I’ve never seen that on stage. And I think, sadly, because of the way things are happening right now in our country, it is going to hit really hard.”
Having moved to the U.S. from Mexico City at the age of 10, she has an inside perspective into the struggles of many of the show’s characters. Mayagoitia said she understands the pressure there is when you grow up in a family with different immigration statuses.
Having each actor on stage understand the Latino immigrant experience is a bonus as they can bring that to their role, Trujillo said.
“These are actors who know it, who live it, who breath it, who understand it," Trujillo said.
Trujillo said the show will be one where all Latinos can see themselves and celebrate their community and the show's cast album will be a big part of that. The music specifically represents the Mexican American experience, he said.
“That was an opportunity to be able to find ways in which we can create a sound and reflect the beauty, joy and passion of our culture,” Trujillo said.
Mayagoitia said she feels the show’s score is true Latino pop. She said it feels like the music she grew up listening in Mexico.
Joy Huerta, the show’s co-composer and lyricists, said she was excited to be part of the show because she felt its message is one that can still resonate with the Latino community.
“I liked all the possibilities of things we can do in terms of representation and visibility and just a story that many people can relate to,” Huerta said.
Huerta said each song in the show represents the Latino culture but have a bicultural element to show the how the characters have adapted into the U.S. but still keep their roots in mind.
The songs are also a bit of English and Spanish, Huerta said. He said it was a way to show all audiences an insight into Latino culture.
“It’s just represents our culture so much,” Huerta said.
“Being bilingual and bicultural has been a really big part of my life,” Mayagoitia said.
Huerta said when they started working on the show five years ago she could not predict what would be happening in the U.S. right now. But that is why she thinks the show will “transcend generations."
“I cannot emphasize enough the fact that this is a human story,” Huerta said.
Trujillo said he hopes young Latinos who see the show with their families can stay true to their dreams and stick to what they believe in while still respecting the sacrifices of those that came before them.
“My hope has been to inspire and ignite the passions of young audiences,” Trujillo said.
By Fernanda Figueroa, The Associated Press
