Since it’s world premiere performance at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts in 1990, Josefina López’s signature play Real Women Have Curves has become a cultural touchstone—evolving from a celebrated stage play into an award-winning 2002 film and a Tony-nominated Broadway musical in 2025. This this spring it returns to Los Angeles with a new production at CASA 0101’s Gloria Molina Theater, running March 27–May 3, 2026, with select performances presented in Spanish. ¡Que suave!

Set in 1987 Los Angeles, Real Women Have Curves tells of five curvy Latinas working in a tiny sewing factory who are trying to meet an impossible production deadline while hiding from immigration.  Their determination, courage and juicy “chisme” (gossip) help them form a bond and discover their power.

Creator and playwright Josefina López still marvels at the lasting impact of her landmark work. “When I wrote the first words of Real Women Have Curves in March 1988, I felt divinely guided to share my story,” she said. “I never envisioned the lasting impact and topical relevance my words would have this many years later.” López began writing the play at 18, inspired by the humorous yet revealing experiences she recorded while working in her sister’s sewing factory in East Los Angeles. Channeling her frustrations with machismo, racism, Hollywood’s objectification of women, and her own experience as an undocumented young woman, she shaped a story that would connect deeply with audiences.

Looking back, López believes the play’s enduring appeal lies in its celebration of women’s lives and evolving identities. “It reflects the four stages of womankind, the challenges of transitioning to the next stage and embracing the natural and organic process of aging and coming into our own wisdom,” she said. Inspired by her mother, sister, and the women around her, López now sees the play as “a sacred dance of feminine energy and camaraderie” that helps liberate women from shame—especially about their bodies.

Real Women’s unique message of body positivity, strength in the face of oppression and the power of the immigrant dream has resonated so profoundly over the decades that it has had nearly 130 professional and regional productions.  

Thi six week run at CASA 0101 stars Stefany Arroyo (Ana García), Yasha Alaniz (Estela García), Bianca Araceli (Carmen García,)  Amy Melendrez (Rosalí), Laura Vega (Pancha)  – and featuring, on stage for the first time, the original sewing machine that once belonged to Josefina López’s late mother, Catalina Perales López, who was the model for the character of Carmen García.  So, this is a distinctive cast in a story that takes on new relevancy in these challenging times.   Creatives behind the curtain boasts a talented team of creatives, including set designer César Rentana-Holguín, lighting designer Alejandro Parra, costume designer Tony Iniguez, and graphic designer Itzel Ocampo.

Heading this powerful artistic team is CASA’s longtime associate, director Corky Dominguez talked about working with Lopez, “I have had the great pleasure of collaborating with Josefina López on many of her original plays by taking what she has written on the page and breathing life into her characters and words by realizing them on the stage.  He also find a deeper corrolation, given to what is happening in the world we are living in today, “The spot on poignancy of Josefina’s themes and plotline in Real Women Have Curves, laced with a heavy dose of humor, is undeniably pertinent, joyous and uplifting for our times.  This will be the take away for audience members who come to see our production!”

As an ardent fan of Ms. Lopez’s writing, this journalist is personally overjoyed that Real Women is returning to Los Angeles, the place where this story was born and where it can play to a hometown audience who’s always responded to its enduring message.  I’m also extremely excited to announce a very special upcoming event, titled, Curves in Concert taking place on March 20th at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, California. This very special, one-time only performance will reunite members of the original Broadway cast of Real Women Have Curves:  The Musical as they sing selections from Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez’s Tony Nominated score.  I caught the Broadway production and can highly recommend this special night directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Sergio Trujillo, who helmed the show in New York.  The concert will be followed by a talk-back with Ms. Lopez.

FOR ALL SHOW INFO: www.casa0101.org

Real Women Have Curves
Gloria Molina Auditorium at CASA 0101 Theater
2102 East First Street
Los Angeles, CA 90033

ENGLISH PERFORMANCES: Fridays & Saturdays @ 8:00 pm. on March 27 – May 3, 2026; Sundays @ 2:00 pm on March 29 & April 5, 2026; Sundays @ 7:00 p.m. on April 12, 19, 26 & May 3, 2026.  Playwright Josefina López will be doing a Talk Back after the Matinee performances on Sunday, March 29th and April 5th.
SPANISH PERFORMANCES: Sundays @ 2:00 p.m. on April 12, 19, 26 & May 3, 2026.  

The post Classic Play ‘Real Women Have Curves’ Returns at CASA 0101 first appeared on .

The Bible’s Moses story told in the book of Exodus has been the subject of many films, documentaries and series with The Ten Commandments being the grandaddy of them all.  So much so that to this day an Easter week cannot pass without the 1956 blockbuster being broadcast repeatedly starring Charlton Heston in his most Technicolor role.  But perhaps the most notable version is DreamWorks’ ingenious 1998 animated musical film, The Prince of Egypt.  Featuring songs by America’s greatest living theater composer Stephen Schwartz of Wicked fame, Angelinos will soon get to see the unique stage adaptation of this retelling of how  Moses discovers his Hebrew heritage and leads his people to freedom from slavery in ancient Egypt. This musical’s central plot focuses on the powerful bond between Moses and his adoptive brother, Ramses, who are torn apart by their diverging destinies.  

Although DreamWorks crafted a family friendly animated feature film, it was not without controversy.  The movie was challenged for its depiction of prophets (forbidden by Islam), assigning God a male gender, emphasizing the not-Biblically accurate storyline of fraternity between Moses and Ramses, and its disputed portrayal of Egyptians’ violent mistreatment of the enslaved Jews.  

Despite these hurdles, The Prince of Egypt had a remarkable debut and was universally praised as “stunning”  (L.A. Times); “a breakthrough” (New York Times);  and “an outstanding artistic achievement!” (Variety). Stephen Hunter from The Washington Post lauded the film, writing, “The movie’s proudest accomplishment is that it revises our version of Moses towards something more immediate and believable, more humanly knowable.”  The film went on to become the most successful, top-grossing non-Disney animated film to date.  A fan base grew around the film as musical afficionados speculated that a live theatrical version was in order.  After all many animated films had already been successfully adapted into hugely profitable Broadway shows like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Aladdin – why not The Prince Egypt?  Fans were overjoyed when in 2020 it was announced that Stephen Shwartz had written additional songs for London’s new West End live theatrical version.  It is that much heralded stage adaptation that the creatives at Casa 0101 are so excited to be presenting November 22 to December 21, 2025.

Casa’s Founding Artistic Director, Josefina López, is thrilled to take on this daring project, saying, “My dream of starting my own theater 25 years ago has flourished successfully over the years to bring us to this point where we are presenting one of the most epic stories of all time on our stage.  I am so proud of our artistic work and overjoyed. Here’s to the next 25 years!”

Emmanuel Deleague, Producer and Executive Director of CASA 0101 Theater is equally effusive: “This production will amaze audiences.  It is truly a Broadway caliber play in an intimate theater setting.  I am very grateful for (director) Rigo Tejeda’s big vision and the entire cast and crew’s dedication to breathe life into this epic story. But beyond the spectacle of this production, the story is what matters, locating your moral compass and having the courage to act in the face of adversity and fear.  I believe this play will leave our audiences inspired.”

“I am beyond excited to be directing this classic story based on the Book of Exodus as a staged musical,” says director, Rigo Tejeda. He continued, “ I remember as a child always eagerly looking forward to watching the film, The Ten Commandments, on television and being awed by the production values of the story telling.  That sense of wonderment and pageantry through the marriage of glorious music, choreography, costumes, sets and special effects is what audiences who come to see this production will experience.”

Producer Abel Alvarado adds, “There will be over 60 costumes in this new production designed and/or assembled by Tony Iniguez, Costume Designer for RuPaul’s Drag Race, which has won 27 Primetime Emmy Awards.  Iniguez’s creations have also appeared on Bravo’s Botched, Next Top Model and Saturday Night Live, and he has dressed stars like Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain and Beyonce.”

The cast of principal actors include (Actors Equity*):  Diego Huerta-Gutierrez* (of Santa Ana, CA) as Moses (Actors Equity); Christopher J Thumé (of Studio City, CA) as Ramses; Joslynn Cortes* (of Sherman Oaks, CA) as Tzipporah (Actors Equity); Jabriel Daniels (of Los Angeles, CA) as Seti/Jethro; Chrissi Erickson (Highland Park, CA) as Miriam; Aiden Ricardo Heredia (of South Los Angeles, CA) as Young Aaron; Danielle Johnson (of Glendale, CA) as Queen Tuya; Sammy J Kohler (of Escondido, CA) as Aaron/Guard; Naledi Miga (of Koreatown, CA) as Nefertari; Sofia López(of Riverside, CA) as Young Miriam/Leah; Tal Toker (of Chatsworth, CA) as Hotep; and Toni Elizabeth White* (of West Hollywood, CA) as Yocheved (Actors Equity).

The talented singing and dancing ensemble include:  Julian Armaya,  Christopher D. Baker, Aaron Gibbs, Kayleigh Long, Gabriella Ortiz* (Actors Equity), Emily Ann Pember, Faith Perez, Alyssa Rojas, Joseph Rosales and Abraxaz Efrain Sanchez López.

Both Tania Possick (Choreographer) and Gabrielle Maldonado (Music Director) are experienced professionals who are going to bring great song and movement to this glorious production.  

This writer, along with all the theater community are excited about Casa 0101’s commitment to presenting innovative musical theater like The Prince of Egypt to the Los Angeles. Once again, this is a rarely produced piece whose  message of speaking truth to power is an inspiration in our times.  This show is a “must see!”  Bring the whole familia to experience the joy and majesty of The Prince of Egypt.  

WHO & WHAT:  CASA 0101 Theater presents DreamWorks THE PRINCE OF EGYPT:  THE MUSICAL.  
WHERE: Gloria Molina Auditorium at CASA 0101 Theater, 2102 East First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033

WHEN:  Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 3:00 p.m., November 22 – December 21, 2025.
TICKETS:  $35.00 per person for General Admission; $30.00 per person for Students and Seniors 60+, $25 per person for Boyle Heights residents & Groups of 10 of more.  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<http://www.casa0101.org>

AGE APPROPRIATENESS: This show is recommended for children ages 8 and up.  Children three and under will not be permitted.  

GALLERY: A free art exhibit entitled “Always Running:  Photography by Luis J. Rodriguez,” (Los Angeles’ Poet Laureate from 2014-2016) will be open to attendees.  The exhibit includes images related to Rodriguez’s book, “ALWAYS RUNNING:  La Vida Loca:  Gang Days in L.A.”  

PARKING:  Free parking is available on several streets surrounding the theatre.  Limited free parking is 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.

CASA 0101 Theater Supported in Part By:  The State of California, Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture, National Latinx Theater Initiative, Herb Alpert Foundation, Perenchio Foundation, The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, California Arts Council, U.S. Bank, The Herb Block Foundation and the David Lee Foundation.
For All Show Info: visit www.casa0101.org<http://www.casa0101.org>

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When President Ulysses S. Grant said, “I do not think there was ever a more wicked war than that waged by the United States on Mexico … “ he was predicting the impetus for the searing drama that unfolds in Josefina López’s newest play, Eléctrico, having its world premiere production at Casa 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights (Los Angeles) from October 10 through November 2, 2025. 

Set in the spring of 1910, prior to the Mexican Revolution, Eléctrico is the story of a white passing electrician, Raymond Brown.  The action takes place in a small town in Texas, close to the Mexican border, 62 years after the U.S. landgrab was set into motion by the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo where Mexico ceded half its territory.  Brown is caught in a racial struggle between whites and the Mexicans when he discovers the shocking reason why the town’s electricity went out.

“As a Mexican-American playwright and screenwriter I feel I have a responsibility to tell the stories of my people, which might otherwise remain untold”, said award-winning playwright and author López. “After reading William D. Carrigan and Clive Webb’s book, The Forgotten Dead about the lynching of Mexicans in the southwest, I was compelled to write my play, Eléctrico, as a historic feminist western drama”. 

For this important piece, López teams up once again with director Corky Dominguez.  Together they present as a winning combination, seeking to challenge and entertain the audience in an inventive and unabashed way.  The bold direction of Dominguez style is perfect for this important historical story.

“Although the play’s characters and plotline are fictional, the subject matter which Josefina’s play is based on, is 100% true’, [They] took place in Texas in the late 1800s and early 1900s; brutal realities that for the most part, that have been forgotten by history.” 

“My goal is to unearth the truth that has been buried and forgotten along with all the dead who are part of this ‘American’ story, Josefina chimes in. ”I needed to write this play to open this uncomfortable conversation that needs to be discussed.”  

Due to the play’s mature subject matter and violence, this show is recommended for ages 13 and above.

Emmanuel Deleage, Casa 0101 Executive Director and producer talked of the significance of premiereing Eléctrico this year. “CASA 0101 Theater is thrilled to present Josefina López’s latest creation, a feminist western, as the centerpiece of our Theater’s 25th Anniversary celebration,” and emphasized, “It is a story rooted in the past and as relevant today as ever.

With original corridos (story ballads) written and performed by Francisco Rivas Medina,Eléctrico stars Robert Moris Castillo and Corina Calderon – both professionals with numerous impressive film, television and theater credits.  It features the talents of Sonia Aguirre, Casara Clark, Andrew Laughery, Dustin Loomis, Francisco Rivas Medina, Alessandro Mendoza, Jeremiah Ocañas, Ryan Padilla, Sierra Pérez-Gelbman and Timothy Willard.

Often treated like strangers in their own land, Chicano/Mexican-Americans are raised hearing the adage that “we didn’t cross the border, the border crossed us!”  Eléctrico strives to bring light to this dark time in history in hopes of engendering understanding in a more just America.   

For all show info: www.casa0101.org

Where:  The Gloria Molina Auditorium at CASA 0101 Theater, 2102 East First Street, Los Angeles, CA  90033  

When:  Fridays & Saturdays @ 8:00PM, Sundays @ 3:00PM, four weeks only: October 10 thru November 2, 2025 

Tickets: $25.00 each General Admission; $22.00 each Students & Seniors 60+; $20 each Boyle Heights residents & Groups of 10 or more. The Box Office can be reached at 323.263.7684 or at tickets@casa0101.org

Talk Backs: (for ticket holders only): Following Sunday matinees on: 
October 12th (led by playwright Josefina López with Dr. Stewart Davenport, History Professor at Pepperdine University discussing the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo) & October 26th (led by director, Corky Dominguez, guest speaker/s TBD). 

Free Art Exhibit: Arthur Carillo’s “My Experience y La Tuya,” prior to performances in the theater lobby. 

Casa 0101 Theater Is Supported In Part By:  The State of California, Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture, National Latinx Theater Initiative, Herb Alpert Foundation, Perenchio Foundation, The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, California Arts Council, U.S. Bank, The Herb Block Foundation and the David Lee Foundation.

The post Deadly Legacy Of The Mexican-American War Comes To Life In ‘Eléctrico’ debuting At Casa 0101 first appeared on .

Nicholas Matos is currently appearing alongside some of Broadway’s hottest names in one of the season’s biggest shows: SMASH — based on the TV show of the same name. Eight times a week, the young Mr. Matos portrays the offbeat character of Scott, a twenty-something, social media-head caught up in a zany musical comedy about putting on a musical comedy. An unlikely outcome for young Mr. Matos who not long ago was preparing for a career in science. We got this very busy actor to speak on his artistic trajectory, how biology is like acting and why aspiring actors should not wait until they feel they are “ready.”     

CRIS FRANCO:  First off, Nick, congratulations on your great success in SMASH. The show is terrific as is your very original characterization of the show’s newbie production assistant named Scott — how would you describe him?

NICHOLAS MATOS:  Clueless — at first. Scott’s an observer. But he constantly wants to learn more because he’s thrust into this world of hard-boiled Broadway veterans. And my character doesn’t know the basics about musicals. He doesn’t even know who Julie Andrews is, so —  

CRIS: He’s the ultimate Gen-Z-er. 

NICHOLAS: Right. In every scene, there’s something new happening around him, so Scott is constantly looking for how he can contribute to the conversation.

CRIS: Your Scott character is truly original and hilarious. He often delivers the “button” or the “blow” out of the scene — the zingers that move the plot on to the next story beat. Scott is also pivotal because his last minute insights provide the play’s climax. When it seems everyone’s efforts were for naught, once clueless Scott sings his epiphany as he puts it all together for us. 

NICHOLAS: Yes, his trajectory is so much fun to play with. My final number is the show’s only original song — all others debuted on the series SMASH. My song, titled “Broadway’s Calling You,” was written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman — two composers that I’ve looked up to for years. So, just getting to sing it alone on stage is crazy. Our director (five-time Tony Award-winner) Susan Stroman and I frequently discussed my song’s function during rehearsals. She directed me to not start at one-hundred percent.  To keep the excitement growing and growing. So, I start it light and airy — and keep building from there. 

CRIS: And in one fell swoop, your song delivers the show’s message.  

NICHOLAS: Yes, so as the story evolved there were a lot of rewrites. The version I now perform is my character realizing that on Broadway, like in life, you keep moving forward even if you fail. So we worked a lot on my building the song’s intensity, because as the show’s climax, we have to get to a moment where the set literally explodes behind me into the big finale. 

CRIS: Well, you really got us there the night I saw the show. SMASH’s finale is jaw-dropping. But let’s talk about how you got here. You’re very young but already have some pretty strong performance credits. How did you get started? 

NICHOLAS:  I did my first theater when I was 12-years-old, in my school’s production of Hairspray.  Which is funny, because I’m now working with the composers of Hairspray. And my director told me about this program in the city called iTheatrics.  They develop the junior musicals like Hairspray Junior, and they try them out with kids over the summer.  I auditioned, got into that program and that really started everything. I began meeting people in the city from NTI (National Theater Institute). When I got to high school, I did Godspell in concert at the 54 Below cabaret night club. I was singing the role of Jesus — 

CRIS:  I checked it out online. You sing “God Save the People“.  

NICHOLAS: Yeah, that’s the one. I was about 15 at the time. And through that concert, I met my manager who introduced me to some agents, and then right after getting an agent, I booked the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. And that was like the first things that made me realize that maybe I could actually do this as like an actual job, or an actual career instead of just something that’s fun to do.

CRIS: Radio City is enormous!  What’s it like singing for 5900 people? 

CRIS: Tell me about how many Radio City shows do you do on some of the heavy days? Don’t you do sometimes do five shows?  

NICHOLAS: Yes, the Christmas Spectacular have some five-show days. But because I was under 18, we weren’t allowed to do that many. The most I could do in a day was three.

CRIS: How old were you then?

NICHOLAS:  I was 15. 

CRIS:  What is your background?   

NICHOLAS: I’m like 100% Dominican. Both of my parents are Dominican. 

CRIS: What was your childhood like growing up 100% Dominican?  

NICHOLAS: I grew up right outside the city in Secaucus, New Jersey. All of my extended family, my grandparents, my cousins, all live in Washington Heights in the Bronx. So I’d go to my grandparents’ house every other Sunday for dinner. I’m thinking of moving there probably soon. But I grew up in New Jersey, that’s my home home. I have two brothers. I live with both of my parents and nobody in my family has ever done theater. So this is a big surprise. When I first started, my parents would always say that they had no idea that I could do this. But honestly, neither did I. It kind of came out of nowhere.

CRIS: So your parents are not performers? 

NICHOLAS: No, my dad is a lawyer.  And my mom works for a telecommunications company — they’re business people. 

CRIS: Do they understand what how special it is to do what you do? 

NICHOLAS: I think they’re understanding more and more. They support me no matter what, but when I first started, they did not get it at all. They didn’t know anything about Broadway or musical theater, or what it took to get here. I really drove that process and I had to show them the ropes. But they’ve learned stuff throughout all the years and they kind of get it now.

CRIS: Which means you’ve really managed your career by yourself.  Wow. You realize you must have beat out thousands of actors for your role.  Because the part of Scott could have been played by a male or female of any ethnicity.  So, I’m sure the casting agents considered submissions by thousands of possible actors.   

NICHOLAS: Yeah, I think so. 

CRIS: Congratulations.

NICK: Thank you, thank you so much.

CRIS:  Being a show within a show, SMASH is about so many things.  How would you describe the plot?

NICHOLAS: SMASH is about the making of a musical.  The tagline is that it’s “a comedy about a musical,” and that’s really exactly what it is. It’s about this team of Broadway veteran creatives who are trying to make a huge hit musical “comedy” about Marilyn Monroe. 

CRIS: Which is already pretty outrageous, because Marilyn Monroe had a tragic life. 

NICHOLAS: Correct.  And throughout the process, things go wrong — and there’s so much drama and shenanigans.  Act One ends on a totally ridiculous, over-the-top, hilarious moment.   

CRIS: Yes, Act One does end on a doozy of a cliff hanger. It’s brilliant plot twist, because my party spent intermission each theorizing on how we thought the plot would resolve. It was fun — but let’s not give away the ending.  

NICHOLAS: No. Let’s just say that by play’s end, the show turns out to be a love letter to Broadway and creatives in any field.  The song that I sing honors the creative process  —  what it means to struggle and labor and care for a project. And although we all strive for success — that’s not the long term goal. The goal is to keep going and creating the next thing.  Which is an idea that really must speak to all people because our audiences are loving the message.  

CRIS:  And it was pleasant surprise when the character we least expect — yours — suddenly gets the message and so do we!  

NICHOLAS:  That’s what I love about playing Scott.  He represents the new blood and new generation of theater lovers coming in.  The veterans have all had their chances — Scott represents the next generation of theater creatives who are going to bring in the new ideas.  It’s how new work is created. 

CRIS: Yes, he’s being handed the baton.  And in doing so, it ends the story with so many fun possibilities. Your cast is full of top Broadway talent, including one of this year’s Tony nominees for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, Brooks Ashmanskas.    

NICHOLAS: He plays our director, Nigel. Brooks is such a talent. He blows my mind every time. 

CRIS: Just like his character in SMASH, Brooks is a true Broadway veteran. He’s appeared in well over a dozen Broadway shows. What’s it like working with a comedic genius like Brooks? 

NICHOLAS: He blows my mind every time. And I’ve learned something very important from him: to remain flexible.  

CRIS: Like don’t be afraid to vary your performance? 

NICHOLAS: Yes. Of course it’s the same script. But Brooks never does quite the same performance twice.  His choices are rooted in the same intentions and emotions, but how he plays Nigel is completely dependent on that night’s audience and how a line has been delivered to him. 

CRIS: That takes courage. 

NICHOLAS: Plus he (Brooks) always fully commits. To get to work so up-close with such a great actor is so cool. He just always goes for it. 

CRIS: What’s been the most surprising thing about this experience?  

NICHOLAS:  Well, during rehearsals there were so many rewrites and trying-out new things. One day I literally opened my mouth to start rehearsing my song when Mark Shaman threw new lyrics in front of my face. The piano kept playing so I grabbed the lyric sheet and just went with it. You have to be super on your toes and ready for whatever the creative team or your cast-mates throw at you. Also, since I’ve never done eight shows a week, I had to learn how to pace myself throughout the week, prepare for each performance and still try and have a life. 

CRIS: I’ve done eight shows a week and audiences have no idea how demanding that is of your time, your health, your energy —  

NICHOLAS: True. But even so, our director, Susan Stroman, wisely told us to never let the show’s energy slow down. Once this show starts, you’re on the ride, and you better hold on because you can’t let the ball drop. The timing has to be perfect. You have to jump on each other’s lines and constantly be pushing the energy.

CRIS:  SMASH has so many fast moving parts: scenery, costumes, lights, fast changes — not to mention the classic Broadway, Tony-nominated choreography by Joshua Bergasse. Have there been any technical snafus? 

NICHOLAS: Technical?  No. Thank goodness.  But, there have been times when Brooks will do something crazy and it’s genuinely impossible not to break — it’s so hard not to. But you have to somehow stay in character.

CRIS: Brooks broke me up almost every second he was on stage. And it takes years to develop and hone that type of hyper, but believable, comic persona. Among our readership are many aspiring young film and stage actors.  What advice do you have for those who want to make it to Broadway? 

NICHOLAS: You know, I’ve actually been thinking about this a lot because my friends studying theater in regular 4-year BFA or BA programs have been asking me how to get to Broadway.  So many of them think that you have to wait until you graduate to start auditioning and looking for agents and really going for it. But I truly believe that you don’t need anyone’s permission.  You won’t know if you’re ready until you do it.  And the best way to learn is on the job. So just start now. 

CRIS:  That is a powerful message. And it’s true, you won’t know if you’re ready to go professional until you do. 

NICHOLAS: I’ve had a really unconventional education. I was at Fordham University studying biology for two years before I transferred to the theater department.  After one semester of acting and movement I booked SMASH.  

CRIS: Which, in a way supports my theory that what’s so cool about acting is that it’s a profession to which you can bring your whole self — including your outside interests.  Some actors who are only interested in acting sometimes miss the point: you can’t bring any reality to your performance if you’re not living a real life, you know?

NICHOLAS:   I know that I still like studying biology and the mind — and math and science. They’re all still a part of me. And, honestly, I think my love for biology and my love for theater come from the same place.  And it’s my desire to understand what makes people the way they are. They’re totally different approaches to exploring that question, but that’s why I love neuroscience. But I also love inhabiting characters and figuring them out. Yeah, I like trying to figure out what makes people tick.

To see what make Nicholas Matos tick, see him in SMASH: https://smashbroadway.com

The post Nicholas Matos Takes Center Stage In Broadway’s ‘SMASH’ first appeared on .

Inspired by the much lauded 1999 documentary and its accompanying Grammy-winning album of the same name, Buena Vista Social Club has morphed yet again.  This time into Broadway’s newest mega-hit musical. Playing to packed houses at the Gerald Shoenfeld Theater, it’s a tropical party that pulsates with rapturous Afro-Latino rhythms set against the tumultuous human drama that was mid-century Cuba. 

To bring the era, the artists and their musical masterworks to the stage, book writer Marcos Rodriguez has cleverly blended fact with fiction and woven two parallel story lines.  One, set in the 1950s, follows the talented young singers Omara and Haydee Portuondo who have broken through the color barrier by appearing at Havana’s exclusive (predominantly white) Tropicana night club.  When they are invited to sing at the Afro-Cuban Buena Vista Social Club, the sisters are of different minds. Haydee, who dreams of a recording career for the team, sees no benefit in slumming it among the locals.  She asks why should they perform at the Buena Vista Social Club?  “Because there are no tourists there,” exclaims Omara, “because they’re playing for us!” 

Enter the Cuban Revolution and the impact of Omara’s prophetic words will be echoed throughout the accompanying story line that takes place some forty years later in 1996.  Record producer Juan de Marcos (affable Justin Cunningham) is looking to preserve for posterity that iconic Buena Vista Social Club sound.  His plan: to reunite the original musicians for a historic recording. De Marcos’ efforts in locating and reuniting those veteran artists takes the audience into a unique theatrical experience. We journey back in time to a place where smoking-hot musicians pioneer a raw, sensual, celebratory Latin-jazz that sets the room dancing to songs recounting the highs and lows of island life and tells of the saga of one woman’s journey to preserve the purity of her art.   

That woman is the musical’s central character, the now older Omara Portuondo (Tony-nominee, the regal Natalie Venetia Belcon).  We learn that when Young Haydee fled Cuba with their American record contract in hand, Young Omara opted to stay and keep alive the authentic music of her homeland.  Which she did for the next forty years. 

Fast forward to the 1990s where de Marcos is pulling together some of the original Buena Vista Social Club musicians.  Through these meetings we learn their sometimes heartbreaking backstories of survival and witness their time-tested talents. All want to participate — only Omara is holding out. But after much cajoling, soul searching and hearing the musical magic they create — she finally agrees to be their lead singer.  Joining her to perform these pure versions of classic Cuban “bolero,” “guajira” and “danzon” are guitarist-singer Compay Segundo (Da’Von T. Moody), pianist Rubén González (Leonardo Reyna), and vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer (Wesley Wray).  All are gifted at presenting these songs in the unbridled Afro-Cuban Spanish dialect.  (Kudos to the creators for wisely choosing to not translate these highly stylized lyrics into American English, but rather allowing the original words and music to speak for themselves.) 

And what songs!  The show features such classic as the slow ballad of “Chan Chan” who, while at the beach, was so taken by his love for his woman, Juanica, that when she shook her body to shake off some sand, Chan Chan grew embarrassed of his desire for her.  

“El Cumbanchero,” an uptempo about a party animal who dances the cumbia.  The song’s fun-loving main character lives each day to the beat of the bongo.  “El Cumbanchero” was made famous by Desi Arnaz who first recorded it in the mid 1940s and later performed it on his TV show, I Love Lucy”,  “El Carretero” a guajira (country lament) about a hard working cart driver — a traveler who dreams of one day marrying and settling down but for now is a guajiro (peasant) going about his job. These quotidian story songs and many more fill the Buena Vista Social Club with an intimate look at the simple truths of the value of living life to its fullest.  

Immersing us deeper into the show’s exploration of the human condition is the evocative and sensual choreography (Tony-nominated Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck), versatile and elegant set design (Tony-nominated Arnulfo Maldonado) and a tight compelling book by Tony-nominated Marco Ramirez.  The result: the Buena Vista Social Club creates a cultural collage of the Afro-Cuban experience that explodes with color, movement to the tune of the world’s most iconic tropical music. 

The historic ensemble consist of Julio Monge as Compay, Mel Semé as Ibrahim, Jainardo Batista Sterling as Ruben, Isa Antonetti as Young Omara, Renesito Avich as Eliades, Ashley De La Rosa as Young Haydee, with Angélica Beliard, Carlos Falú, Héctor Juan Maisonet, Ilda Mason, Marielys Molina, and Anthony Santos in the ensemble.  

Recreating the sound that launched a thousand fiestas are the virtuosos Marco Paguia (conductor & piano), Henry Paz (woodwinds), Jesus Ricardo (trumpet), Eddie Venegas (trombone), Javier Diaz (percussion), Roman Diaz (percussion), David Oquendo (guitar), Resesito Avich (tres chordophone guitar) and Gustavo Schwartz (bass). 

How good is Buena Vista Social Club?  You don’t need to be a Cuban music aficionado or even understand Spanish to be swept away by the transporting beat of the 12-member onstage orchestra accompanying the gifted singing cast and the three dancing couples that so beautifully interpret the music in a mix of dance styles from Afro-Cuban to ballroom. This reviewer was enthralled by how organically the stories, songs and dance all supported each other in a seamless exploration of how artistic expression can help keep alive the soul of a people in crisis.  And amid the hoots and bravos from the entranced audience swaying in their seats, you will have no other choice but to be also swept away by the celebration of life on stage. I recommend that everyone see the Buena Vista Social Club on Broadway or by way of the national tour now preparing to bring to our world in crisis its healing message: the opposite of war is creation.  And the Buena Vista Social Club is a joyous, healing, creative masterpiece.

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By Cris Franco

Playwright/Screenwriter Josefina López holds a singular place in both American theater and Hollywood—an artist whose voice has reshaped the narrative around Latinas on stage and screen.

In 1990, her signature play Real Women Have Curves, about an ambitious, 18-year-old, plus-sized Latina battling her family’s oppressive gender and cultural norms, became a major hit. In 2002, after a bidding war, HBO adapted the play into an award-winning film with America Ferrera in her first starring role.

So enduring is López’s semi- autobiographical tale, that for the last 23- years, both the play and film have consistently drawn large audiences, taken by López’s funny and insightful depiction of the immigrant struggle. Not resting on her laurels, more plays followed. 

López used her college loans to establish a community theater, CASA 0101, which offers multiple performing arts programs and world class theater. Lopez initially opened a nearby restaurant, CasaFina Restaurant to complement the theater experience.  Both her theater and the restaurant are located in the neighborhood that fueled her creative spirit, Boyle Heights. It was this same spirit that drove her to not give up on a career-long dream — to see her play morph yet once again, into a full Broadway musical.

Now, in a full-circle moment, López’s dream of bringing Real Women Have Curves to Broadway has finally become a reality. On April 27, 2025, the musical adaptation of her iconic play will make its long-awaited debut.

I had the privilege of speaking to Ms. López who was in NYC attending a show rehearsal. We discussed why her musical is more than just entertainment, how a “sewing factory sings”, and the importance of keeping Real Women Have Curves real.

CRIS FRANCO (CF): Josefina, I’ve streamed the many rehearsals, promos and preview clips from Real Women Have Curves, the musical — and I’m very excited!    

JOSEFINA LOPEZ (JL): Me, too! It’s got all that I loved about the play and movie but heightened with singing, dancing and an expanded story. Lisa Loomer, who adapted it, has done such a great job. 

CF: How has the original plot changed? 

JL:  We’ve added to it.  Revisiting the world allowed us to delve deeper, go back in time and bring in characters with backstories true to the times. We now meet Guatemalan (Itzel) and Salvadorian (Rosalí) refugees, a cholita (Flaca) trying to remake her life and a woman who hasn’t yet come out. These real people were part of my factory experience and now we’ve included them. It’s beautiful.

CF:  It sounds wonderful — and daunting.  Was it challenging adapting Real Women into a musical?

JL: Yes. I had tried twice before — but decided to let Lisa Loomer take-on this third attempt because when you create a successful play and movie, as I did, you get attached.  But for the project to grow, you have to be able to see beyond what already exists.  And to create new moments where it lends itself to song and dance.  I knew I had to just let go and tell myself, yeah, that moment is possible, too.  And that was the challenge. 

CF: It appears there are new male characters in the musical. 

JL: Yes. The original play featured only women and there were a few men in the film. But we added more men into the musical.  And that’s part of the challenge, too. Knowing what characters to add — without adding too many. You don’t want to overpower the narrative because Broadway often relies on spectacle and I didn’t want us to lose sight of the story.  

CF: I get it. You wanted to keep Real Women, real.

JL: Yes.  

CF: The master of musical theater, Stephen Sondheim, stated that when he was approached about musicalizing a story, he’d ask himself: “Does it sing?” Did you think Real Women would sing?  

JL: I knew it would. All the way back, when I was in the (sewing) factory, I knew that Real Women  was a musical because the factory itself was musical. The sewing machines each had a distinct, humming sound depending on how old the machine was or if it needed oil. The steam iron made a rhythmic hiss. Cutting the fabric had a percussive tick-tick-tick. The radio was always playing. Outside the cars would zoom by and you could hear all the “loncheria” trucks horns honking — da-da-da-da-daaaa!

CF: “La cucaracha, la cucaracha” — 

JL: The factory was always alive with sound and motion – moving the dresses, shaking them, sewing them, ironing them.  There was always action throughout the workroom and choreography to the assembly of the garments.  Even when I was writing the original play, I thought to myself, this story could be a musical. I imagined the women dancing with the mannequins. I had all these ideas but I was only 18-years-old and, frankly, I didn’t know how to write a musical. But I could definitely hear and see it come alive as a musical.

CF: What are your favorite musicals?

JL:  I didn’t like musicals growing up because they were not relevant to my life in Boyle Heights. It wasn’t until years later when I experienced that moment in Miss Saigon where (Vietnamese) Kim and this white (American) soldier’s souls connect through a song, that I thought, ‘Oh my God — musicals can be about anything’. They don’t have to be about two white characters falling in love in a world where everything’s rosy. Those plots were so completely relatable to me living as an undocumented girl in East L.A. So, Miss Saigon got me interested in musical theater and then I saw Next To Normal —

CF: O.M.G. That show is so daring. It’s about how a wife and mother whose mental disorder destroys and — in a way — unites a suburban family. 

JL: Next To Normal showed me that musicals can go deep and be profound. That’s when I thought, I really want my play to be a musical. At first that was just a dream, but after our film won so many awards, I started actively working with my manager seeking theater producers. And I’ve been pursuing this goal until I finally met Sergio Trujillo who won the Best Choreographer Tony in 2019.  I thought Sergio could direct it. He’s an immigrant, so he gets it and understands the pain of being undocumented.  And it slowly all came together. 

CF: There are so many elements involved in creating a musical, that a director can make or break your show.  How did you select your collaborators: Lisa Loomer and Nell Benjamin (book), Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez (score)?  

JL: Selecting the right creatives is a big decision. But when I met Barry Wessler, the producer of Chicago, I thought — well he must know what he’s doing. His show’s have been running for over 20 years! Lisa Loomer was the smartest choice because she knows my world of Boyle Heights and she knows me.  Sergio is the one who came up with Joy Huerta. I had heard some of her songs and had heard of her.   

CF: She’s a Grammy winner. 

JL: Yes. I just had never put Joy’s name and her wonderful songs together. I thought — Oh, my God, this woman’s a poet.  She is an incredible, soulful human being — amazing.  And I thought, yes, she could write the songs for the show.   

CF: I very much like the songs I’ve heard.  They’re on story, tuneful and energetic. 

JL: I agree.  Once the creatives were lined up, I guess my big contribution was insisting that our casting agent, or at least their consultant, be a Mexican-American.  So that Mexican-American actors would be the first to be considered for the roles.  

CF: That is very important because today’s discerning Latinx audience are very familiar with the cultural and linguistic nuances of a México-American vs. a Puertoriqueño vs. a Cubano, etc. Casting still lumps us together into playing a generic Hispanic that comes across as inauthentic because a generic Hispano doesn’t exist.  But what does exist in your show is a cast that can all act, sing and dance.

JL: Well, you have to be a triple threat to be on Broadway, right?

CF: Was it a challenge finding Latinx triple threats?

JL:  It was hard to find men and women of a certain age who could sing and act and dance because until shows like In The Heights — thank goodness for In The Heights — our actors had limited opportunities to develop their musical talents. But we have assembled an amazing cast. But, the biggest challenge was getting the word out in the search for our lead, Ana, because, once again, not enough Latinos get to train, especially Mexican-Americans.  But we finally found Tatianna Córdoba who can do it all.  Plus, she’s got incredible comedic timing and she’s a great singer. Tatianna graduated from Boston Conservatory of Music at Berklee in 2022.  She’s beautiful, charming and she looks 18-years-old!  

CF: But finding her took work? 

JL: We had over one-thousand submissions for the role.      

CF: Although the original Real Women was written in the 1980s, the themes are more pressing than ever: body image, femininity vs. feminism, women’s rights, the immigrant experience. What do you think that says about our present society?

JL: Those things have only gotten worse. It’s sad. When I first wrote the play, I thought that twenty-years later, the story would be irrelevant because society would have progressed beyond these racist and sexist assumptions.  But it’s only gotten worse for women and the undocumented. It’s gotten worse for everyone. Immigrants have been dehumanized. So, it’s divine timing that this play is now on Broadway so it can challenge the narrative that we are the bad guys. That we’re taking rather than contributing. I’m very proud to share my story because it’s not just mine. It’s the story of so many others. Me, our director and the whole cast feel that telling this story is now necessary.  It’s not just entertainment.  It’s us fighting for our humanity.

I was talking to a reporter earlier and I realized — hey, by opening a theater and a restaurant, I’ve created hundreds of jobs. I didn’t take anyone’s job away. Immigrants create jobs. I’ve always been very proud and public about the fact that I am a formerly undocumented person who at age18 worked in a sewing factory.  And today I get to walk to a Broadway show where I get to see myself portrayed as a worker in that sewing factory. In a way, I’m the embodiment of the American Dream.  

CF: You certainly are. And, I too, can’t understand anyone who can’t relate to the cause of the undocumented worker.  I mean, they are just like you. They are you in different circumstances. It’s disparaging to refer to them as “aliens.”

JL: Which is code for “non-human.” And for me, that term really hurts. So I wanted to explore and celebrate my humanity through the story and say, no, I’m not an alien, I’m a human being. That’s why the play’s undressing scene is so important.  It says — look at me!  I’m flesh and blood and curves and fat and everything.  How much more real can I be than this?  

And, yeah, it’s a story of defiance, of self-acceptance because that’s me, too. But it’s also a personal feminist story about how we women are made to feel that we’re not good enough by a system that makes us feel inferior. I used to blame myself thinking, I just need to work on myself.  Until I realized that every freaking woman has the same program running in her head. And I got sick of it.  That’s why I wanted to share this story, so the other women could see it and think — wait a minute. I’m going through the same bullshit. Oh my God, everyone’s going through this!

CF: Speaking as a male — yeah, it’s true. Society does allow us to be uncaring, sloppy, vulgar, aggressive, blunt and demanding.  While women are heavily judged if they display those very human traits. Society will forgive the most vile man of almost anything if he’s a good provider. Which brings me to money and the economics of Broadway. 

JL: Oh, yes.  Mounting a show here is crazy expensive. 

CF: Currently, some orchestra prime tickets to Othello starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington list at $900 each with the cheapest ticket at $221.  But I’ve noticed that Real Women sells some balcony seats for under $50.  

JL: I think they’re listed at $48. We’re doing our best so that our audiences can afford to see the show. I always just go to the half-price TKTS booth and get them at 50% off but that still adds up to $100 for a pair of tickets.  And that’s because it takes about twelve-million dollars to get a show on Broadway. So it requires many investors who are primarily white men — even at my backers’ auditions.  

CF: How do you think that affects what shows get produced? 

JL: Well, if this is the group that decides what musicals make it to Broadway, it eliminates many shows that don’t appeal to this very specific funding base. I know that without a hit play we wouldn’t have had the hit movie. And without the movie we wouldn’t have had a shot at becoming a musical.  

CF: It’s very significant that you are finally here. 

JL: Especially this season when, for the first time in history, we have two new Latino musicals on Broadway: Buena Vista Social Club and Real Women Have Curves. 

CF: Do you think that says something positive about Latino stories breaking into the mainstream market? 

JL: Yes, because by bringing people into our experience they can see how beautiful we are. Broadway’s not seen a world quite like Real Women Have Curves. We present my working-class neighborhood the way I saw it.  Colorful murals, life, creativity, resilience, hope. Which is contrary to what most have heard about Boyle Heights which was at one time labeled the “drive-by shooting capitol of the world.”  That’s what captures the national headlines — not that our city has a long history of activism for civil rights and social justice. 

That’s the truth, just like the musical truly depicts how much fun it was working in the factory.  The day was filled with so much laughter and juicy chisme (gossip) that I really looked forward to going to work. So, while my friends all went off to college, I went to work in a factory where I got a real education about what it meant to be a woman. 

CF: So, your journey to Broadway began way back then. And now you’re here. 

JL:  It’s incredible to walk to Times Square and to see a giant billboard for Real Women Have Curves. 

CF: (my phone’s alarm goes off) Josefina, there’s so much more I wanted to ask you but I know our time is over and you’ve gotta go back to rehearsal. I’m gonna jump to my final question: What advice do you offer to young playwrights? 

JL: To keep telling the truth. Write about what they know, and to write about the wisdom they’ve [writers] gained from their pain and suffering, because nobody needs any more tragedies. And if they haven’t yet learned from their life lessons, wait a couple of years to write your story.  We need to hear about what they’ve gained from the losses. 

To experience what Josefina López learned from her storied life, get ready to experience Real Women Have Curves:  the Musical currently in previews wiht opening night on April 27th at the James Earl Jones Theater, NY, NY.  

The full cast includes: Tatianna Córdoba, Justina Machado, Florencia Cuenca, Shelby Acosta, Carla Jimenez, Aline Mayagoitia, Jennifer Sánchez, and Sandra Valls, Mauricio Mendoza, with Ana’s boyfriend played by Mason Reeves. with the ensemble cast consisting of Zeus Mendoza, Claudia Mulet, Christopher M. Ramirez, Monica Tulia Ramirez, Quincy Hampton, Ariana Burks 

For all show info and tickets, log onto: https://www.realwomenhavecurvesbroadway.com

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I just couldn’t say farewell to Hispanic Heritage Month without giving props to a man whose name and impressive credits I’ve noted in so many Playbill Magazines: Mr. Michael Balderrama. 

Of Mexican heritage, Michael Balderrama is one of theater’s most prolific choreographers. An artist whose abundant talents can presently be seen in the mega-hit bio-musical, MJ – based on the life of the enigmatic “King of Pop”: Michael Jackson. And that’s not Balderrama’s only show-biz gig.  The busy actor/dancer also serves as the Global Choreographer for The Great White Way’s other mega-hit, Hamilton.  This assignement has him traveling the world, maintaining the high performance standards of the many companies that have kept the revolutionary Hamilton selling out in Chicago, London, Hamburg, Ireland and Australia.   

And as if working on MJ and Hamilton weren’t impressive enough, Balderrama has also performed and/or choreographed for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights (where he played the title role as Usnavi), Billy Joel and Twyla Tharp’s dance masterpiece, Movin’ Out, and was featured in three big budget film-to-stage musical adaptations: Ghost, Saturday Night Fever and Unban Cowboy.  Balderrama has a number of big shows under his belt – and rightfully so. 

Whether performing or choreographing, Balderrama is always a standout. He has received unanimous praise, including a the 2022 Drama Desk Award in Choreography, for MJ. And you don’t have to look too far to understand why Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Christopher Weeldon chose Balderrama as his assistant choreographer, to bring the long awaited MJ The Musical to the stage.  The reason: Balderrama is an inspired story teller when it comes to movement. And he’s filled Jackson’s life story with classic moves from the era along with an expanded dance vocabulary that helps the audience understand the artistically extraordinary journey “the gloved one”.

The musical’s book by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Lynn Nottage, is set in 1992 during rehearsals for Jackson’s Dangerous World Tour.  The plot skillfully navigates the public relations time-bomb that’s about to upend Jackson’s non-stop skyward trajectory. The two-act extravaganza incorporates Jackson’s signature moves along with Balderrama and Wheeldon’s new movement resulting in the one of the most thrilling dance shows ever presented on an American stage. I’ve seen MJ four times and always discover something new in the nuanced, explosive choreography. When it comes to MJ, I can’t stop, can’t get enough. 

It’s serendipitous that Balderrama should be part of MJ, because it was Michael Jackson himself who hired Balderrama for his first real dance job  in his extended song “Ghost“. Of working on MJ, Balderrama says the show, “… reminds us of not only the incredible talent and the incredible gift of music that he gave the world but (also) the world he had to navigate in order to make that happen. I think the show hits the mark where it celebrates his work and reminds us of the incredible talent, his incredible creativity, his uniqueness, while at the same time it’s not just a love letter. You know, we’re speaking about a human and an artist that struggled with difficulties.”

A dedicated artist to the core, Balderrama truly understands MJ’s perfectionism as Balderrama’s dances are perfectly shaped throughout the hit-packed evening featuring “Beat It,” “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” “Dancing Machine,” “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin,’” “They Don’t Care About Us,” “Billie Jean,” “Can You Feel It,” “Human Nature,” “Bad,” “The Man in the Mirror” – and volumes more. But there are two standout numbers where Balderrama helped create a pair of peak choreographic moments: “Smooth Criminal” and “Thriller.”  “Smooth Criminal” is set up by a short prologue where the character of Michael Jackson introduces us to the dancers who most influenced his style: the slick Bob Fosse, the elegant Fred Astaire and the dynamic Nicholas Brothers.  What starts out as a slow narrative explodes into the frenetic and mesmerizing “Smooth Criminal.”  That number alone is worth the price of admission.  Then, in “Thriller” (spoiler alert), plot and movement brilliantly intersect when MJ’s strict father, who both forged and terrorized the young Jackson, evolves into a literal monster haunting Michael’s memories.  This perfect melding of story into dance is the 11 o’clock number that takes us to the end of the show by allowing us to enter into Michael’s sometimes tortured, always creative soul.  “Thriller” leads us to understand both what might have driven MJ to superstardom and what may have stunted his emotional growth that led to the allegations that would haunt Jackson until his untimely demise. 

For the aforementioned and so many more reasons, I recommend MJ The Musical to the world!  You’ll hear some of the pop’s greatest tunes danced to Michael Balderrama’s glorious tribute to Michael Jackson’s immortal dance legacy. 

Check out tickets and more information: www.mjthemusical.com

The post Michael Balderrama Broadway’s King of Choreography first appeared on .

Newyorican playwright, Kristoffer Diaz was chosen by musical legend Alicia Keys to pen the book to her long awaited semi-autobiographical musical Hell’s Kitchen. For over ten years, the two collaborated on perfecting the story, that since its Broadway opening in April of 2024, has been playing to sold-out houses.  Earning thirteen Tony Award nominations – including one for Mr. Diaz – the success of Hell’s Kitchen is due in great part to his skillful shaping of Keys’ musical catalogue into a dramatic tale of how an artist is forged by pain, courage, talent and love. 

We caught up with the talented Mr. Diaz to discuss the agony and ecstasy of creating a new book to a musical, what it’s like collaborating with a superstar, and why creatives have to find their unique voice. 

Cris Franco (CF):  Hi, Kristoffer!  Congratulations on the success of Hell’s Kitchen. You did a seemless job of sculpting Ms. Keys’ music into a powerful story. The play flows beautifully. Can you tell me about how your beginnings led to you becoming a playwright?

Kristoffer Diaz (KD): I grew up in Yonkers, which is just outside of New York City.

CF: Yes, I know. I’ve seen Hello, Dolly! 

KD: (Laughing) It’s a little different than it was back in the Hello, Dolly! days. 

CF: I’m glad to hear that. There were no people of color there back then.

KD: True. Yonkers now has a huge Black and Latino population. I grew up on the north side. But my family’s from all over New York City. My mom’s from the Bronx. My dad’s from Brooklyn and Manhattan. We’re Puerto Rican but I identify as a Newyorican.  

CF: Newyorican is a very specific ethnicity. 

KD: Absolutely. My parents were both born in New York.  My grandfather and his generation immigrated when he was 15-years-old. So, we’ve been in New York forever.  My mom worked in the city and grew up a theater fan. She took me to see Broadway as a kid, so I’ve always had theater in my life.  But theater as a career wasn’t on my radar until I got to high school. I had always been an athlete — a baseball player more than anything. Then, one day, I auditioned for the school show and I got in.  Then I got into another show. And there I found my community. And I continued doing theater in college.  Then I discovered John Leguizamo who was telling stories about people like me.  And everything changed from there.  I went to NYU and began writing.

CF: When did you write your signature satire The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity?  Which is a comment on racism, politics and machismo — all set the raucous world of lucha libre. I caught the Los Angeles run at the Geffen Theater and knew that a fearless and inventive mind had conceived it. It was explosively entertaining. More than a play, it was an event.  

KD: We had a really great time with it.  One of our original actors in Chicago and New York, Christian Litke, really made a meal of interacting with the spectators. He would pick-up audience members and curl them.  Joan Rivers came to see it in New York and he had her stand and rub her hands all over his body.  The audience loved it – and she loved it! 

CF: Chad Deity has had lots of productions and won you many awards including The National Latino Playwriting Award (2008), The Obie Award (2011), NY Times Outstanding Playwriting Award (2011) and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama nomination (2010).  But how did a play about wrestling lead you to Alicia Keys? 

KD: Not long after that L. A. production I got an email from my agent stating that he was going to set up a meeting for me with Alicia Keys. Which was a fun email to get. 

CF:  And you had never met her before?

KD:  No. When you have a property playing that’s in the public eye, you get a lot of emails about a meeting with this person or that person. But getting a message like this one – I was like, yes!  This is fantastic. I’d been listening to her music for years.  We met and Alicia said that she had an idea for a musical based somewhat on her life. She did have some specific ideas and wanted to meet with writers. I was close to her age and we shared a lot of the same reference points and sensibilities. We talked about classical music, hip-hop, New York City and we just hit it off. I got hired and we spent a few years just the two of us trying to develop something.  We brought in a director Michael Greif and presented it to the Public Theater.  

CF:  I know that the story is semi-autobiographical. But how different is the musical’s plot from Alicia’s actual history? 

KD: There are many departures from her real life because you don’t want to be stuck in facts.  Alicia and I like to say that the show is emotionally true — the songs and story are drawn from her life. Plus, creatively, you need to have some distance because not all the songs are sung by “Ali” (the character based on Alicia) some are sung by the characters portraying her mom or her dad. So, I got permission early on from Alicia to write with broad strokes to maximize our dramatic potential. 

CF: I know that Ms. Keys wrote original songs. How did you approach her with the idea that a certain moment needed new material?

KD: It was an ongoing process between our team: Alicia, Michael Greif, our musical director Adam Blackstone and myself.  We all knew that new music would be required and Alicia was ready to write it. But that was after we thoroughly studied her existing music library – trying to figure out what story we could craft from it. 

We knew we wanted to incorporate Empire State of Mind, Girl on Fire, Fallen and You Don’t Know My Name because these are some of her most beloved pop songs.  But not all of Alicia’s best known compositions told a story – specifically the story we were developing.  So, we listened to some of her lesser-known work and Michael and I really liked Work on It and Pawn It All.  There was something about them that we felt could support a narrative. Now Pawn It All is one of the show’s most exciting numbers. Shoshana Bean (who plays Ali’s mother) sings it and she tears down the house down every single night. 

CF: She definitely killed it the night I saw the show. 

KD: There were a few spots where we needed a song to express an emotion or moment that wasn’t in Alicia’s songbook. We’d chat about it and in a few cases Alicia was already working on something that could possibly work. So, she’d bring it in and we’d work it into the story.  But, in some cases, after we’d tried a few songs, we’d realize that Alicia was just going to have to create something new to handle a specific storytelling moment. That’s how the song 17 sung by Shoshana Bean came to be.  It’s the first real theater songs that Alicia has ever written and it’s great.  

CF: Sounds like an exciting process.  How did the musical change over the time?  Meaning what you started out with versus what is being seen on Broadway?

KD: Great question. You know, we started out, not really sure what we were going to do.  We thought it would be a love story, because musicals often revolve around love. And much of Alicia’s catalogue are, in a way, love songs.  But early on Alicia knew that it was more about a moment of change and growth in her life.  We realized that it was a coming-of-age story. And when we brought in Michael and showed him what we’d written, his analysis was this it was, indeed, a love story – but between a mother and daughter.  How a daughter grew to appreciate all the hard work that her domineering mom had done on her behalf. And that was the big change from the early drafts to the final version.  So, we pulled back the love story and created a messy love story between the mom and the dad. 

What we didn’t suspect was how powerful the character of Miss Liza Jane (Ali’s teacher) would become. But once Kecia Lewis was cast in the role, she made the teacher’s character so powerful that all the relationships began falling into place.  Plus, once Miss Liza complicated Ali’s relationship with her mother, everything became deeper and stronger.

CF: Bravo!  That was a brave choice to not fall into the musical boy-meets-girl trope and taking Ali’s character arc into a more challenging, more real, meaningful place. I really enjoyed the journey. Both Maleah Joi Moon (Ali) and Kecia Lewis (Miss Liza Jane)  won the Tony Awards for Lead Actress and Featured Actress in a Musical respectively.  And I think a lot of it has to do with the how authentically you wrote their characters. From the second she walked on-stage, I was enthralled with Ms. Moon.  She is quite a discovery. 

KD: Yeah. She’s pretty magical and it’s a hard, complicated role.  I mean where are you going to find someone that young who can evoke all that is Alicia Keys – but still also be completely herself. Maleah does that.  She was a gift to us.

CF: And how has it been working so closely with an artist as recognized as Alicia Keys?  

KD: She’s my sister now.  We’re super close. When we started this project, Alicia was pregnant and I think me and my wife had just had our first son. Today we both have two kids. So, we’ve both went through a lot together while we were developing the show. 

Alicia is a musical genius. She was a child prodigy and she just continues to learn and grow. She’s an incredible businesswoman and she’s good people, I just like being around her. She was a wonderful collaborator.  And I never felt any power dynamics. We were both out to remain true to our art and ourselves. I feel honored to have been part of her career and to have made this thing together with her.

CF: Your show is selling out on Broadway, so I think your “thing” is going to be around for a long time.  I know you’re currently a playwrighting teacher at NYU (New York University), right? 

KD: Yeah, NYC is where I did both my undergrad and my first Master’s Degree. So, I’m back where I first came of age creatively. I’ve been teaching since I left grad school. First at an after school program and then at El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  It’s a school with a real interest in social activism through the arts – which is deeply connected to my sense of social responsibility to community.  That is such a big part of what we want to communicate in Hell’s Kitchen.  That we have to reach to our younger generations, get them to listen to their ancestors, to understand their history. Art is a gift and I take it really seriously. 

CF: As a successful writer and arts educator, what advice would you give to a young aspiring playwright?

KD: Oh man.  It’s a hard business. I’ll say that it’s about understanding the art form – and more importantly —  putting a finger on the thing that you do that nobody else can do. When I started writing, I thought that I had to write plays that looked and felt like what I had been taught in school. Those plays where the characters sit on a couch, drinking wine revealing  family secrets.  Then I saw John Leguizamo’s work and he was just putting real folks on stage talking about everyday stuff.  And I thought, hey, I could write about what interested me like hip-hop or wrestling.

CF: I’m into lucha libre, too: the good guys, the bag guys, the rivalries – it’s all so melodramatic. It’s like a telenovela for men.  One last question. Do you feel that being a latino has impacted your career?

KD: Absolutely. How could it not?  In my early days, I felt it would hold me back.  I don’t speak Spanish and my work is not bilingual so I was always concerned that my work wouldn’t be, um, Latino enough. But the Latino theater community have been very, very, very, very, very, very, very good to me over the last 25 years. And not just producing my plays. Many great artists have reached out to me – offered me guidance, recommended me for jobs.  John Leguizamo was the first person to contact me on the morning of my Tony Award nomination (Best Book of a Musical for Hell’s Kitchen). He texted me that he was proud of me. I also know Lin Manuel Miranda and it’s more than just because we share the same ethnicity, it’s about being part of a theatrical family. Being Latino is my cultural identity and I couldn’t be happier about being part of that community. 

To experience the exciting and heartfelt dialogue of Kristoffer Diaz dramatically framing the thrilling musical compositions of Alicia Keys, log onto: https://hellskitchen.com

The post Playwright Kristoffer Diaz’ ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Journey to a Tony Nom first appeared on .

The story which spawned the film of the same name starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams has enjoyed cult status since its 2004 release.  The romantic drama chronicles the decades-long love affair between lower-class mill worker Noah Calhoun and heiress Allie Hamilton.  They are star-crossed soul mates whom, it appears, the universe has conspired to keep apart. But distance makes their hearts grow fonder and – of course — true love conquers all!  This well-worn trope of boy-meets girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl should render The Notebook predictable, melodramatic and, dare I say it?! Sappy. It is anything but.  

For the play’s energizing score (music and lyrics, Ingrid Michaelson) and fresh dialogue (Tony-nominated book writer Bekah Brunstetter) breathes life into each scene of this passionate evening of musical theater. To further draw us into the play, the lovers are played by three couples: Older Allie & Noah, Middle Allie & Noah and Younger Allie & Noah. This triple casting allows us to track the many stages of life as seen through the lens of their love. We realize that although the years may age our bodies, it is our enduring affection for each other that transcends time and keeps us forever young.  

The story engages your heart from the outset when we meet Older Noah (played to perfection by Tony nominated Dorian Harewood) who is at a nursing home visiting Older Allie (the radiant, Tony nominated Mariann Plunkett) whose severe dementia has caused her to forget him. He’s there to read to her the notebook (diary) she wrote documenting their lives together in hopes it will trigger a memory that will help her recognize Noah. 

As the story cuts back and forth from their young romance and break-up, to their tumultuous estrangement, to their ultimate reunion, the cast masterfully contribute each of their individual pieces that ultimately come together to form a vibrant collage of their lives. We see the many highs and lows that will try to topple their devotion, but instead, forge their love and lead them to emerge all the stronger for it.  Songs are woven in and out of the story taking us into their deepest emotions, doubts and ultimately fulfilled wishes when Older Allie finally recognizes Older Noah – if only long enough for a final kiss.  The musical’s unabashed romance and sheer emotional honesty result in The Notebook being an astounding journey into the human heart that, frankly, left me sobbing with joy.   

John Cardoza (whose credits include Jagged Little Pill and Moulin Rouge!) plays Young Noah with a youthful exuberance and vulnerability that believably sets his character on the long road to finding true love. It is Young Noah that believes in the couple’s viability and Cardoza delivers his relentless pursuit of Allie with full throated abandon – his is a crystalline singing voice that lets you know you’re in the presence of an up-and-coming Broadway leading man. 

Equally engaging as Middle Noah is Ryan Vasquez (whose credits include Hamilton, Waitress and In the Heights). The dashing Vasquez plays Noah during his most conflicted stage.  With a commanding presence and gorgeous lyrical baritone that can cause the listener to experience what I call an “eargasm,” Vasquez’s Middle Noah remains certain that Allie is his destiny. But life has other plans, and he’s destroyed when he loses contact with her for years. He’s joined the armed forces but fulfills his promise to her of writing her every day. But his letters are intercepted and kept secret by her mother who planned on her daughter wedding the more auspicious suiter Lon, played by the elegant Chase del Rey.

Chase del Rey (whose credits include A Little Night Music and the Oscar nominated film King Richard) subtly plays the confident groom-to-be who is ready to commit to Allie, unaware that she has rekindled her romance with Noah.  His is a painful realization which will leave him standing at the altar wondering if he’ll ever recover from so devastating a heartbreak. Though Mr. del Rey’s character Lon is a secondary character, he makes an impression every second he’s on stage and leaves us with a full understanding of the price paid by those who lose at love. Chase also demonstrates his astounding vocal prowess at show’s end when the entire cast so gloriously wraps up the evening’s life-affirming saga.

As I stated at the top of this article, it was thrilling to see three talented young performers so vividly bring their gifts together to weave the tapestry of life and love titled The Notebook, the musical. It’s extraordinary to watch multiple actors share a role and witness how each helps their character evolve before our eyes. 

Never having read the novel nor seen the very popular film, I did not know what to expect from The Notebook. I assumed it would be a gushy chick-flick musical, so sugary it would send me into diabetic shock. On the contrary I emerged from the Shoenfeld Theater feeling rejuvenated; my belief in life affirmed by truth and renewed by this tale of love. 

To experience The Notebook, CLICK HERE

Broadway Production Photos by Julieta Cervantes

The post The Leading Latin Men of ‘The Notebook’ on Broadway first appeared on .

For Info, Streaming Link & Tickets Log Onto: https://54below.org

Mariachi Real de Mexico: Viva El Cinco de Mayo!

Sunday, May 5,2024 at 9:30AM

Whether you’re a Latine, Latinx, Latino/a – or just a good old Mexican-American who finds themselves in Manhattan this May – you’re in luck!  54 Below, NYC’s best theater supper club, is presenting a cultural fiesta that will have you singing,  “Yo amo  Nueva York!”  The month of diversity starts on the May 5^th, when the world-renowned Mariachi Real De Mexico de Ramon Ponce will fill the papel picado decorated venue with an unforgettable evening of musica!  Donned in full mariachi regalia (just how big can those sombreros get?) the soul-stirring trumpets, violins and guitarrónes will have you getting your Mexican on, throwing gritos to all your mariachi faves. (Y yolver, volver, volver …) Well-renowned guest cantantes will lend their voices to iconic canciones in breathtaking performances that showcase the richness of Mexican culture, making this a Cinco de Mayo to remember — even if you do get a little borracho.  And the cherry on your flan will be the club’s elite kitchen’s special menu serving up tacos, enchiladas, 54 Below’s classic guacamole and more! 

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54 Sing Broadway’s Greatest Hits!

Tuesday, May 7 at 9:30PM and Saturday, May 25 at 9:30PM

If you want a thrilling night of the songs that made the Great White Way great — you must catch 54 Sings Broadway’s Greatest Hits.  Perhaps the most successful series of cabaret shows of the 21st century (every show sells-out, FYI) creator Scott Siegel perfectly casts Broadway’s best actor-singers to deliver a well-thought-out roster of musical theater gems.  Every selection is a highlight in this exquisite night of sung comedy, tragedy and every emotion in-between. How Broadway is that?!  The May 7^th performance will feature the talents of Elisa Galindez (Real Women Have Curves, The Musical) whose dynamic vocals have made her a talent to watch! 

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54 Sings Taylor Swift The ERAS Tour (Leg 2)

Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 9:30PM – ET – (Live streamed)

Calling all Swifties!  Tonight 54 Below will bring you highlights from Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour and more! From the hottest tour of the season by the most globally streamed artist of all time, a night of Swiftastic excellence awaits. As a genre-blurring artist, Swift has gone from country, pop, alternative, folk and electronic musical styles to being a culturally impactful mega-star and one of the highest selling musical artist of all time.

In typical 54 Below tradition, a host of Broadway and cabaret talent will be on hand to tailor the night to Swiftian heights. Just a few of those  performing her platinum hits at this “Enchanted” evening will be Peyton Ávila Herzog, Haley Seda and Claire Valdez. Please note that Taylor Swift herself will not be performing at this event – although she will be with us in spirit.  Produced and directed by Kate Coffey, with music direction by Canaan J. Harris.

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53 Sings The Carpenters

Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 9:30PM

54 Sings Carpenters takes us on refreshing stroll down memory lane with a tribute to the chart-topping siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter. Surely everyone has a Carpenters favorite that always brings on a smile. Garnering 15 number-one singles, the duo embodied a simpler kinder era when one could be “On Top of the World” and feel “Close to You.” Presenting the uplifting and moving vocals will be Matt Baker, Victoria Elena & Luke Hawkins and many others who will interpret these timeless hits for your nostalgic pleasure.  Joined by Moshe Elmakias on piano, Daniel Glass on drums, Steve Kenyon on flute, John Lind on bass, and Keve Wilson on oboe. Produced and hosted by Julia Marson, this Carpenters tribute show is not to be missed- and we’ve only just begun!

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Honoring Black Women In Music

Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 9:30PM

In this 3^rd thrilling installment celebrating Black women’s contribution to music, 54 Below will shine a light on the cutting-edge compositions of Nina Simone, Toni Braxton, Anita Baker, Samara Joy and more. Through blues, rock, gospel, jazz, bluegrass, hip-hop (you name it) Black women in music have forged groundbreaking, monumental, lasting impressions in their quest for representation. Being an unstoppable force, they have lifted all humanity while reshaping music with their lyrical insights. It’s more than a concert—it’s a joyous gathering that fosters unity, connection, and empowerment.

Bringing their bountiful talents to the stage will be Gabrielle Beckford (Once Upon A One More Time),  LaDawn Taylor (The Bodyguard) and Kimberly Hicks, Kaisha Huguley, Queade Norah, Pier Lamia Porter, Shamiea Thompson, Kiara Wade, Denise Ward, and Anania Williams. Produced/created/directed by Ashley Jossell. Music directed by Rashad McPherson. Joined by Shawn Dustin on drums and Criston Oates on bass.

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East Meets West: Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month

Friday, May 24, 2024 at 9:30PM – ET (Live Streamed) 

This unique evening unites talent from both sides of the world to perform together on the 54 Below stage. Presenting classing Broadway duets and solos in a variety of languages, this will be a night for celebrating artists from different cultures who share the same goal: focusing the spot light on theater’s talented artists of AAPI (Asian American & Pacific Islander) heritage. Stepping up to the mike to represent will be the  Josh Alvarez, Daniel Echevarria, Niko Grandos, Nova Gomez, Clark Mantilla, Daniel Echevarria and friends.   Co-produced by Flynn Jungbin Byun and Victoria Chen, with direction by Byun. Music direction by Jeff Caldwell.

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Sondheim Unplugged

Sunday, May 26, 2024 at 7:00PM – ET (Livestreamed)

As evidenced by the fact that Sondheim Unplugged is back for its thirteenth season, this is show is always a sure hit.  Every installment features top-tier performers delivering musical masterpieces by the Oscar, Tony, Grammy, Olivier and Pulitzer prize-winning composer credited with reinventing the American musical. Oh, and did I mention the Kennedy Center Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom? No matter. Just another feather in his hat. (Does anyone still wear a hat?) Host Rob Maitner infuses the evening with hilarious inside tidbits and informative historical references. Sondheim Unplugged always draws a sophisticated crowd of afficionados and performers. This night will feature the talents of Pamela Winslow Kashani (Into the Woods), Ramona Mallory (A Little Night Music), Shereen Pimentel (West Side Story), Lucia Spina (Into the Woods) and other Sondheim-friendly vocalists.  Be there and wear a hat. Musical direction by Mark Hartman.  

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The Cast of International World Tour of West Side Story

Tuesday, ay 29, 2024 at 9:30PM – ET – Live Streamed

“Maria, Maria, I just met a girl named Maria!”  Yes, Tony loved Maria and the world loves West Side Story. Hence 54 Below’s bringing cast members fresh off the current international tour of the Broadway classic performing an inspiring mix of genres including Mexican folk, pop, rock, country, musical theater and more. You’ll hear Christopher Alvarado, Gerardo Esparza, Sonya Hernandez, Milan Magaña, Majo Rivero, Melanie Sierra, Michel Vasquez and special guest star Gabriela Garcia – all serving up the musical soul food our divided times have us presently craving. Produced by Majo Rivero and Gerardo Esparza. Music directed by Geraldine Anello, and featuring musicians Laura Masferrer and Antonio Mandosi.

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54 Sings Hair

Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 9:30PM

Could there be a better zeitgeist of 1960s counter culture than Hair? And just because mine is thinning, I’ve not lost any love for this turbulent tale of sexually awakened, draft card burning, environmentally conscious, war-protesting, communal hippies.   

With era-defining songs including “The Age Of Aquarius,” “Let The Sunshine In,”  and “Good Morning Starshine” you will experience a music-induced flash-back to the far-out sixties. Featuring a cast of Broadway alumni and rising stars, this special night will commemorate the beloved tribal-rock musical through a queer and trans lens.  Join the groovy revolution and don’t miss out on this mind-expanding night!  Head band, bell bottoms and love beads optional. Produced by Sarah Burke.

For info, streaming Link and tickets, LOG ONTO: https://54below.org

The post Mariachis & More At New York’s 54 Below!  first appeared on .