Review by Amalisha HuEck
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
I found the simple, very real, and down-to-earth comedy in this show to be wild, astonishingly funny, and entertaining. The colorful set design of the seamstress factory created by César Rentana-Holguín and built by Jeremiah Ocañas gets our attention and expectancy that something wonderful will happen here, right from entering the theatre space.
Real Women Have Curves is the story of five curvy Latina women of all ages, working in a tiny sewing factory in East Los Angeles in 1987, having to produce two hundred dresses for the Bloomingdales corporation, in a time demanding deadline. Yasha Alaniz, who so strongly embraced and portrayed the character of Estela Garcia, the owner of the sawing company, did not manage to get her immigration papers, because she committed 2 crimes; for one – she was arrested for having a lobster out of season, and for the other – she was late on paying the loan for the purchased sawing machines. Fear of being deported, hiding in case the immigration official shows up, and working under challenging circumstances (extreme summer heat, without a possession of any fans), is the main focus here.
All five ladies bring so much of Latino culture into the show, and even though this performance was primarily in English language, their native tongue is so tastefully intermingled throughout often, to give the full feel of tradition and culture of Latino society. Director Corky Dominguez wonderfully exposes the enlightenment and excellence of the writing. No wonder, his casting choice is right on with the whole ensemble of workers; Stefany Arroyo (Ana Garcia), Bianca Araceli (Carmen Garcia), Amy Melendrez (Rosali), and always so wonderful Laura Vega who portrays Pancha. Just to mention, these ladies were making dresses for $1 & ½ for one hour, while high-end fashion stores would sell one dress for $200. My Goodness …
Josefina López, the Creator and Playwright of Real Women Have Curves, said, “When I was 18-years-old writing in my journal about my hilarious experiences at my sister’s sewing factory in east L.A. I channeled my anger at the machismo I experienced growing up and the objectification of women and racism by Hollywood and my experience being undocumented. And now, years later, I have learned why this story has been embraced and became a hit.’’
In eastern part of Los Angeles area, which many of us don’t go to very often, there is a magical theatre that uplifts community, changes lives and is a wonderful inspiration to everyone. By working to support talented artists and vice versa, voices are discovered and the groundbreaking transformation is taking place. Every month there is a woman’s month, and all the children’s programs are free. They go by “Art is the human gift, and it should be shared and experienced by those who are interested in expressing themselves through it.” Emmanuel Deleage is Show Producer and Executive Director of CASA 0101 Theater.
The six-week run of Real Women Have Curves is from March 27 – May 3, 2026, at Gloria Molina auditorium at Casa 0101 Theater, 2102 East First Street, LA, CA 90033. The running time of the show is 101 minutes, not including intermission. Tickets are $25.00 per person for General Admission; $22.00 per person for Students and Seniors 60+ and $20 per person for Boyle Heights residents, Spanish language performances and Groups of 10 of more.
Performances in ENGLISH are on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.; Sundays at 2:00 p.m. March 29 and April 5, 2026; and Sundays at 7:00 p.m. April 12, 19, 26 and May 3, 2026. Performances in SPANISH are on Sundays at 2:00 p.m. April 12, 19, 26 and May 3, 2026.
Free Parking is available on several streets surrounding the theatre. Limited Free Parking is also available at the Boyle Heights City Hall Parking Lot located at 2130 East First Street (at Chicago Street) by entering the lot from Chicago Street.
If you wish to have couple of hours of fun and lots of real good laugh, visit Casa 0101 for one of the performances of this wonderful show. I enjoyed it so much, I intend to see that show many times during its run. The facial expressions of the actors, the characters developed and comedic timing are perfect. It is highly recommended, indeed!
Real Women Have Curves is recommended for all audiences and children ages 13 and above. Children three years of age and under are not permitted. For tickets, please call the CASA 0101 Theater Box Office at 323-263-7684, E-mail tickets@casa0101.org or buy online at www.casa0101.org
To view performance footage of this production, please visit: https://youtu.be/ht0JpJsTIf4
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