Review: Real Women Have Curves

Review of the Saturday, May 31, 2025 matinee performance at the James Earl Jones Theatre. Starring Tatianna Cordoba, Justina Machado, Florencia Cuenca, Mauricio Mendoza, Mason Reeves, Ariana Burks, Carla Jimenez, Aline Mayagoitia, Jennifer Sanchez and Sandra Valls. Book by Lisa Loomer and Nell Benjamin. Music and Lyrics by Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez. Based on the play by Josefina Lopez and HBO's Real Women Have Curves, screenplay by Josefina Lopez and George LaVoo. Set Design by Arnulfo Maldonado. Costume Design by Wilberth Gonzalez and Paloma Young. Lighting Design by Natasha Katz. Video Deign by Hana S. Kim. Sound Design by John Shivers. Directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo. 2 hours 20 minutes, including one intermission.

In many ways, Real Women Have Curves is a throwback to simpler times for Broadway musicals. It is a traditional book musical comedy with a mostly light tone, relatable characters and a toe-tapper of a score. And it certainly makes the case that this type of show, though rarer these days, still has legs. 

Based on a play by Josephina Lopez, and later an HBO movie, Lisa Loomer and Nell Benjamin's book is deft at creating solid characters that flirt with being types, but grow as the story does. Sharp and witty, there's a high laugh per minute ratio, but also plenty of sincere heart and some pointed criticism of the state on immigration in this country. Set in 1987, it really hammers home the fact that things haven't changed and may have gotten substantially worse. But it never gets too bogged down in politics, thankfully. The book also manages the impossible: virtually seamless integration of each song. The score, a delicious mix of Latin rhythms, 80's sounding orchestrations, and good old fashioned Broadway (usually all simultaneously) is delightful throughout, and to their credit, Joy Huerta and Benjamin Valez's Tony-nominated score is never repetitive, and their lyrics are character-driven and consistently clever.

Design-wise, the show is as joyful and beautiful as its story. The season's best "show curtain" only hints at the colorful sets to come, and the lighting is equally vibrant. Designed by Arnulfo Maldonado and Natsha Katz respectively, they provide a lovely backdrop for Wilberth Gonzalez and Paloma Young's costumes, which are characters themselves. For me though, it is Hana S. Kim's dreamy and poignant video/projection design that was the real icing in the cake. 

Pulling it all together is the tight but gentle direction of Tony-winner Sergio Trujillo, who keeps things moving and a brisk pace with clever scene transitions and strategic use of blackouts. His choreography is exciting and equally clever. Most importantly, though, he honors the culture of the characters and the important representation of these rich and varied women. He gives everything room to breathe, allowing for the joy of the piece to shine always.

The central characters are a traditional family and a work family. That work family is a zesty group of ladies who share their world-weary-been-there-done-that wisdom with the next generation. They've had it hard, but have triumphed over their circumstances. Though all of them were truly spectacular, Jennifer Sanchez as the astrology-loving slightly naive Rosali is a riot, and Aline Mayagoitia as the newest member of the group, Itzel, really captivated my heart. The latter's poignant "If I Were a Bird" is a reminder that freedom is not to be taken for granted. The "villain" of the piece, a cold-hearted business woman, is played by Claudia Mulet with a disquieting harshness, which makes a couple of her plot twists all the more satisfying.

The family unit is the heart of the piece, including a hard-working but gentle dad (the wry Mauricio Mendoza), and struggling but successful older sister (the delightfully empowered Florencia Cuenca - her "Daydream" is a show highlight). There is also a new young man in their lives, Henry, who shares a special affection for the younger daughter, Ana. If you ever wondered how Kimberly Akimbo's Seth Weetis would turn out, here it is. Mason Reeves plays Henry with a delightful honesty, walking that fine line between cliche nerdiness and warm sincerity. 

The main characters, though, are the tough as nails matriarch (Tony-nominee Justina Machado) and her equally tough younger daughter (a triumphant Broadway debut by Tatianna Cordoba). Watching these two butt heads is a wonder of switching loyalties and guessing where they will go next. Though the outcome is never really in doubt, it's the getting there that is the real Joy here. Long a fan of Ms. Machado, I was excited to see her live, and she did not disappoint' her comic timing is razor sharp, her emotional moments a study in reserve and grace, and she can sing! Of course, I always love seeing new talent rise like cream, and Ms. Cordoba is an amazing new talent to watch for. Trust me, she's a name we will hear about for years to come.

I'm sure most of you are aware that the show is struggling at the box office. I cannot recommend hard enough that this show deserves our support. It is fun and important, and will leave you walking out of the theater ten feet in the air.

📸: J. Cervantes

Review: Buena Vista Social Club

Review of the Friday, May 30, 2025 performance at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City. Starring Natalie Venetia Belcon, Julio Monge, Mel Seme, Jainardo Batista Sterling, Isa Antonetti, Da'von T. Moody, Wesley Wray, Leonardo Reyna, Renesito Avich, Ashley De La Rosa and Justin Cunningham. Book by Marco Ramirez. Music by Buena Vista Social Club. Orchestrations and arrangements by Marco Paguia. Scenic Design by Arnulfo Maldonado. Costume Design by Dede Ayite. Lighting Design by Tyler Micoleau. Sound Design by Jonathan Deans. Creative consultant David Yazbek. Choreography by Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck. Developed and directed by Saheem Ali. 2 hours 10 minutes including one intermission.

If there was any doubt about whether or not the Special Tony Award that the Buena Vista Social Club band received was deserved, all of that was put to rest within minutes of the start of the show. Every time they played, a sense of reverent euphoria washed over the theater. We were witnessing a master class in artistry and a brilliant tribute to a music genre often overlooked in the  mainstream. They, and the music they play, are the real stars of this exhilarating musical.

That said, the production is not without its flaws. The theme of past and present converging is interesting, and at first the way it is portrayed is artful and intriguing: a flourish of dancers sweeping in to change set pieces, older versions of the same character face each other and then in a burst of light switch places. But it happens so frequently, that it becomes dull and somehow overplayed; one wonders why director Saheem Ali couldn't come up with more ways to portray this. Then there's the book by Marco Ramirez, cliche-ridden but serviceable, that runs out of steam in act two, when the whole affair begins to feel every minute of its two hours and ten minutes. To be fair, the real point of the story is to tell the tale of a benchmark album and its creators, and that it did.

And that benchmark album is given a loving tribute here. Played and sung by true masters of their craft, it is stunning to listen to. Sung entirely in Spanish, knowledge of the language is unnecessary, so crystal clear are the passions behind the songs. If you really need to know what's happening in the songs, each Playbill comes with a booklet titled "Every Cuban Song Has a Story to Tell." I didn't look at it until I got home, and it is fascinating, but I never felt that I missed a thing as I was watching it unfold.

BVSC is a handsome production, with its evocative unit set with several pleasant surprises (designed by Arnulfo Maldonado), colorful costumes (by Dede Ayite) which cleverly tie in the young and old versions of the characters, and vibrant lighting by Tyler Micoleau, both playful and sharply focused. For the most part, Jonathan Deans' sound design is wonderful - the sound mix of the musicians should be studied - but there were occasional balance issues when there was dialogue with underscoring. Repetitive time transitions aside, Ali's direction is otherwise tight and creative. The other star of the show here is the choreography by Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, superbly performed by an ensemble of amazing dancers. These dances have a sensual language of their own, full of sultry passion and a deeply rooted history, and they are often breathtaking.

Of course, the company of actors contribute greatly, making a full course meal out of the bare cupboards of the book. Standouts include Wesley Wray who charms the entire room as the young social club busboy/street singer, and Ashley De La Rosa as a singer with big dreams beyond Cuba and an even bigger survival instinct. But for my money the three biggest assets to the whole affair are Isa Antonetti as the young singer with a passion for the authentic music of her island, Julio Monge, who serves as a sort of wry narrator and perfect foil for the woman at the heart of the piece. That woman is the regal Natalie Venetia Belcon, who makes a triumphant return to the Broadway stage here. She held us spellbound by her mere presence, captivated by her every pause and word.

While as the show went on there was a nagging sense of diminishing returns, it was somewhat surprising that the ending was a bit rushed and brief. One expected a big finale, but there wasn't one. Still, this was one social club I am grateful to have visited.

📸: M. Murphy