Playwright Josefina López To Lead Community Dialogue At Garry Marshall Theatre

Prominent Los Angeles playwright, Josefina López, takes the stage at the Garry Marshall Theatre to dive into the important issues portrayed in López's coming of age comedy, "Real Women Have Curves," with a special post-show discussion series that begins Oct. 17. Free and open to the public, the series will be led by López herself and feature panelists uniquely related to issues including immigration, retaining one's heritage and women's beauty standards-all prevalent themes in the iconic play, which is currently running at the Garry Marshall Theatre through Nov. 18.

"While I originally wrote 'Real Women Have Curves' in the 80s, the themes and issues that these characters face have, unfortunately, never been more relevant," said López. "As women, and as Hispanics, we are facing some very real battles today. The more that we talk about them and collaborate on these topics as a community, the larger our impact will be. I invite you to be part of the dialogue."

The post-show discussion series will include four individual sessions, held at the Garry Marshall Theatre immediately following the below show times of "Real Women Have Curves".

· Wednesday, Oct. 17, 8 p.m. - Immigration and an introduction to Josefina López; guest panelist Dr. Katherine Nigh, dramaturge for Garry's Marshall Theatre's "Real Women Have Curves"

· Sunday, Oct. 21, 3 p.m. - Beauty Standards; guest panelist from the Garment Worker Center

· Saturday, Oct. 27, 2 p.m. - The Latinx theatre community, immigration and the creative process behind this production of "Real Women Have Curves"

· Wednesday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m. - The Latinx theatre community, immigration and the creative process behind this production of "Real Women Have Curves"

"The Garry Marshall Theatre is proud to help initiate these important conversations," said Joseph Leo Bwarie, one of the artistic directors of the Garry Marshall Theatre. "Josefina is an inspiration. Her strength and personal experiences will undoubtedly ignite thought-provoking and empowering dialogue. We've been so honored to work closely with her on our production and look forward to her interaction with the community."

The Garry Marshall Theatre's production of "Real Women Have Curves" is led by an all-woman team, from the playwright López and director Mary Jo DuPrey, to the production designers, stage manager and

cast. The storyline 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.

Further details about the speakers and topics for these conversations will be updated on garrymarshalltheatre.org and also the Theatre's Facebook page, @GarryMarshallTheatre. For tickets, or to learn more about this production of "Real Women Have Curves," visit garrymarshalltheatre.org or contact the Garry Marshall Theatre Box Office at 818-955-8101.

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. López 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.

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.