I recently attended opening night of Real Women Have Curves at the Alley Theatre, and from the moment the lights came up, it was clear the audience was in for something both joyful and meaningful.

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Real Women Have Curves began as a play written by Josefina López in 1990, premiering at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts in San Francisco. Inspired by López’s own experiences as an undocumented teenager working in a Boyle Heights sewing factory, the story later became the beloved 2002 film and a 2023 musical. Decades later, its message remains just as relevant.

This vivacious comedy follows five Latina women working in a sewing factory as they navigate body image, immigration status, family expectations, and their own dreams. Tasked with meeting an impossible deadline, the women reveal their fears, hopes, and inner conflicts while forming a powerful bond rooted in shared experience.

The first half of the play unfolds with light-hearted humor layered with a serious message. As each character is introduced, the audience is drawn into their present-day realities, including the pressures they face, the choices before them, and the dreams they quietly carry. The storytelling is intimate and captivating, setting a strong emotional foundation.

After intermission, the energy in the theater shifts. While the themes remain just as prevalent, the second half leans fully into celebration. The characters had the audience laughing, clapping, cheering, and fully engaged as the story reached its emotional peak.

Looking around the theater, one detail stood out. The audience included a strong male presence. Watching so many men smile, laugh, and cheer throughout a play centered entirely on women, performed by an all-women cast, felt especially powerful. It was a reminder that these stories resonate far beyond gender and speak to dignity, resilience, and community.

There was something deeply moving about being in a space where everyone could absorb the play’s important messaging while collectively celebrating these women and their stories. For one evening, the audience escaped together, laughing, reflecting, and connecting in unity.

The Alley Theatre production is directed by Lisa Portes and features a standout cast. Brenda Palestina stars as Ana, Angela Lanza as Carmen, Gloria Vivica Benavides as Pancha, Sophia Marcelle as Rosalí, and Melinna Bobadilla as Estela. Each performance felt authentic, heartfelt, and grounded.

If you attend, arrive early or make time during intermission to enjoy the play’s signature Pepino Cocktail. The crisp, refreshing blend of smooth vodka, cucumber purée, and fresh lime juice is the perfect complement to an evening that is both spirited and memorable.

Real Women Have Curves runs through February 15, 2026. Tickets are available now at https://www.alleytheatre.org/.

Real Women Have Curves is more than a comedy. It is a celebration of women, culture, and resilience, and a reminder of the power of storytelling to bring people together.