Initial casting has been revealed for the upcoming Broadway premiere of “Real Women Have Curves.” Tatianna Córdoba will play the role of Ana Garcia in the previously announced musical, while Justina Machado will reprise her performance as Carmen Garcia from the musical’s 2023 world premiere at American Repertory Theater. Sergio Trujillo will direct and choreograph the Main Stem mounting, which will begin previews on April 1 and open on April 27 at the James Earl Jones Theatre.
Also newly announced is the musical’s creative team, which will include Tony Award-nominated scenic designer Arnulfo Maldonado, co-costume designer Wilberth Gonzalez and Tony-winning co-costume designer Paloma Young, Tony-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, Tony-winning sound designer John Shivers, Tony-winning video designer Hana S. Kim and hair, wig and makeup designer Krystal Balleza. “Real Women Have Curves” will feature orchestrations by Nadia DiGiallonardo, Joy Huerta, Rich Mercurio and Benjamin Velez and music direction by Roberto Sinha. Tripp Phillips will serve as production stage manager, while B.J. Holt will be general manager. Alecia Parker will be the production’s executive producer.
“Real Women” will mark Córdoba’s first Broadway bow. Córdoba is a 2022 graduate of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
Machado made her Broadway debut replacing as Daniela in “In the Heights,” and was later seen in the Main Stem mounting of “A Free Man of Color.” Machado’s television credits include “One Day at a Time,” “Six Feet Under, “The Horror of Dolores Roach” and the upcoming “Pulse.”
Featuring a score by Huerta and Velez, a book by Lisa Loomer with Nell Benjamin, “Real Women Have Curves” is based on a play by Josefina López and the television movie of the same name. Set in 1987, the musical follows Ana, who, following high school graduation, is expected to remain in her hometown of Los Angeles and work in a garment factory alongside her mother to assist with a make-or-break order of 200 dresses. Ana, however, dreams of starting anew in New York City.
Additional casting, by X Casting/Victor Vazquez and ARC/Duncan Stewart, will be announced.
“Real Women Have Curves” is being produced by Barry and Fran Weissler and Jack Noseworthy, as well as Peggy Koenig, Stan Ponte, John Gore Organization (the parent company of Broadway News), Ira Pittelman, Stacie and Steven Weisbrot, Michael Valdes, Michael P. Kruke, the Nederlander Organization, Erin and Ramesh Narasimhan, Emerald Drive, HGH Productions, the Independent Presenters Network, Jared King, Ira Kleinman, Peter May, Philip and James DeCarlo-Schnepper, Lilli and Jonathan Roth, Jayne Baron Sherman, Alicia Menendez and the Shubert Organization.
