Josefina Lopez's REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES Opens Second Season At The Garry Marshall Theatre

Garry Marshall Theatre is proud to present Josefina López's coming of age comedy "Real Women Have Curves" as the first production opening its second season. This new production of the iconic Latina story that inspired the Sundance award-winning film of the same name, is set in present day and features script updates that tackle issues women face today, making it as relevant now as it was when first written in 1988. The production runs from Oct. 12 through Nov. 18.

This production is led by an all-woman team, from the playwright López and director Mary Jo DuPrey, to the production designers and stage manager.

"Our superb cast will make you laugh, cry, think and appreciate the obstacles and triumphs of Latina life in America. I am honored to direct this classic American story," said DuPrey.

Fabric flies and tempers flare when Ana, fresh out of high school, rebels against the status quo with dreams of becoming a writer. "Real Women Have Curves" follows a close-knit community of women in a tiny family-run factory as they traverse the political and social pressures of immigration and holding onto their heritage in East L.A.

"As women make strides in society and empower themselves, the standard of beauty has become more extreme and impossible. It is shaming women into not demanding equality or speaking up about the abuse and exploitation of their bodies," said López, who will participate in several post-show conversations addressing these topics that will soon be announced.

The cast features Blanca Araceli as Carmen, Claudia Duran as Rosali, Jackie Garcia as Pancha, Sherry Mandujano as Estela and Julianna Stephanie Ojeda as Ana. The creative team includes scenic design by Tanya Orellana,

costume design by Jessica Champagne-Hansen, lighting design by Karyn D. Lawrence, sound design by Corinne Carrillo, prop design by Sydney F. Russell, casting by Jami Rudofsky and dramaturgy by Katherine Nigh.

"The Garry Marshall Theatre, a cornerstone of American storytelling, is proud to present this humorous, heartfelt story of the changing face of America as seen

through the eyes of Latinas making their mark on the world," said Joseph Leo Bwarie, one of the artistic directors of the Garry Marshall Theatre.

Tickets start at $52 and are available for purchase on September 14. Season ticket packages begin at $180 and can be purchased by calling the Garry Marshall Theatre box office at 818-955-8101 or by visiting garrymarshalltheatre.org. "Real Women Have Curves" is produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing.

ABOUT JOSEFINA LÓPEZ

Josefina López (Playwright, Screenwriter, Founding Artistic Director of CASA 0101 Theater, Producer, Author, Restauranteur, and Activist) is best known for authoring the play and co-authoring the film Real Women Have Curves. Born in San Luis Potosí, Mexico on March 19, 1969, Josefina López was five-years-old when she and her family immigrated to the United States and settled in the East Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights. López was undocumented for 13 years before she received amnesty in 1987 and became a U.S. Citizen in 1995. Lopez paints, writes poetry, performs and designs. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of CASA 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights, CA with a commitment to teach screenwriting and playwriting and nurture a new generation of Latino artists. López is developing the musical version of Real Women Have Curves for Broadway. Her first novel titled Hungry Woman in Paris came out in 2009. She wrote a play to protest SB1070 titled Detained in the Desert, which won her many awards and which she turned into a film. In November 2018, López's latest play, Remembering Boyle Heights, will receive its World Premiere at CASA 0101 Theater.

ABOUT MARY JO DUPREY

Mary Jo DuPrey (Director) Mary Jo helmed International City Theater's critically acclaimed production of Daddy Long Legs, where she also directed Durang's Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike. In 2017, she directed Durrenmatt's The Visit for the MFA Acting Program at UCLA. Other credits include Other Desert Cities; Constance Congdon's adaptation of Moliere's Imaginary Invalid; the Ovation Nominated August: Osage County, at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum; What May Fall (Theater of Note, LA Weekly Pick of the Week and Broadway World Nominations); Jeffrey Archer's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Ovation and LA Weekly nominations, part of Actor's Co-Op LADCC Polly Warfield Best Season in Los Angeles Award); and In the Company of Jane Doe (Powerhouse Theater). Mary Jo is a faculty member at UCLA, where she directed Who is Selma Teller and Charles Mee's Big Love, for the Graduate Programs in Acting and Playwriting. She is the recipient of NYU Professional Certification in Filmmaking and a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

ABOUT Garry Marshall THEATRE

Garry Marshall Theatre is a nonprofit organization providing innovative performances, educational opportunities, and storytelling activities for all ages, year-round. Located in the heart of Burbank and Toluca Lake's media district, the critically acclaimed and Ovation Award-winning 130-seat theatre was founded in 1997 as the Falcon Theatre by Hollywood legend Garry Marshall. Reestablished as the Garry Marshall Theatre in 2017, the theatre continues to cultivate new artists and experiences that spark ideas and build community.

To post a comment, you must register and login.