Arts, Etc.Theater

Production empowers shapely women

Josefina Lopez, writer of “Real Women Have Curves,” hosted a workshop for students interested in screenwriting on Sept. 30. Lopez reminisced about her experiences of being a plus-sized woman trying to get into acting. During the workshop, students were able to ask questions about Lopez’ life growing up in Boyle Heights, which is located in East Los Angeles. / photo by Gloria Diaz
Josefina Lopez, writer of “Real Women Have Curves,” hosted a workshop for students interested in screenwriting on Sept. 30. Lopez reminisced about her experiences of being a plus-sized woman trying to get into acting. During the workshop, students were able to ask questions about Lopez’ life growing up in Boyle Heights, which is located in East Los Angeles. / photo by Gloria Diaz

Shelli DeRobertis
Staff Writer

The University of La Verne theater department performed playwright Josefina Lopez’s play, “Real Women Have Curves,” with Lopez in the audience for its first production on Sept. 30. Before the play Lopez offered a two hour workshop and lecture.

Even though the play ended near 10 p.m., viewers still remained seated, eager for a question and answer session with Lopez.

She was vibrant and animated, and seemed pleased with the actor’s performances of “Curves.”

“What’s beautiful is the love between the women,” she said. “The greatest thing is the camaraderie between them.”

An all-female cast of five Latino women took viewers to a little sewing factory in East Los Angeles in the late ’80s, where the women worked hard for little pay. Only four of them were documented immigrants and there was a constant fear amongst them that Estela, the shop’s owner, would be deported.

Money was scarce for the workers, but there were plenty of laughs, sarcasm and love among them. The women found strength within themselves that led to empowerment in different ways.

The characters Lopez created were at ease with one another and talked openly about their body sizes, sex, and about being women. Laughter replaced embarrassment in a scene where they all stripped down to their undergarments, unable to withstand the heat of the tiny workroom.

“Shame kills off our expression.” Lopez said. “We should be proud of vibrators.”

Her bold and animated personality lit up the scene room as she captivated the audience with the story of her success.

Lopez was born in Mexico and moved to East Los Angeles when she was 5. Her family lived undocumented for almost 13 years, until they finally obtained amnesty.

Lopez attended Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and wrote her first play at 17. “Simply Maria, or the American Dream,” won an Emmy and made Josefina Lopez one of today’s prominent Chicana writers.

“Curves” originally premiered in San Francisco in 1990 and soon after became a film for HBO. Almost 12 years later it opened in theaters nationwide, and in 2002 received awards from the Sundance Film Festival.

Lopez responded to a question about her success by saying “the greatest thing is that people who wouldn’t give you a chance and even look at you, go, ‘I was wrong.’”

She said it was common for her to be mistaken as a prostitute or the “help” when she would wait for the bus while pursuing her master’s degree from UCLA.

Leonardo da Vinci was her role model when she was growing up.

“What was so remarkable about him is that his mind had no limits,” she said. “He’s amazing, he didn’t live in the ghetto with his mind.”

“I was at the lecture before (the play) and it was so awesome!” said Kim Reed, a social science graduate of ULV. “I liked having that influence first. She told us how she was motivated and where the idea came from in her life. The themes of empowerment were like a sage to the show.”

“The fast pace kept everybody connected together,” said Nelson Amaya, father of Adela Amaya who played Ana in the show. He also liked the comical Spanish comments from Carmen, who was the mother in the play, performed by Enriqueta Chipana-Appel.

Jane Dibbell directed the play and cast members included: Kelly Quesada-Diaz as Pancha, Margaret-Suzanne Tipton as Estela Garcia, Adela Amaya as Ana, Eva Hinojoza as Rosali and Enriqueta Chipana-Appel as Carmen.

Shelli DeRobertis can be reached at sderobertis@ulv.edu.

Learning to accept what one looks like is among the many issues the play “Real Women Have Curves” confronts. After staying late to finish a merchandise order, Ana, Carmen, Pancha, Rosali and Estela embrace their physiques and empower one another. ULV’s production of “Real Women Have Curves,” which was performed in Dailey Theatre, was directed by Associate Professor of Theater Arts Jane Dibbell. It featured Enrequeta Chipana-Appel as Carmen, Adela Amaya as Ana, Kelly Quesada-Diaz as Pancha, Eva Hinajoza as Rosali and Margaret Suzanne Tipton as Estela. / photo by Gloria Diaz
Learning to accept what one looks like is among the many issues the play “Real Women Have Curves” confronts. After staying late to finish a merchandise order, Ana, Carmen, Pancha, Rosali and Estela embrace their physiques and empower one another. ULV’s production of “Real Women Have Curves,” which was performed in Dailey Theatre, was directed by Associate Professor of Theater Arts Jane Dibbell. It featured Enrequeta Chipana-Appel as Carmen, Adela Amaya as Ana, Kelly Quesada-Diaz as Pancha, Eva Hinajoza as Rosali and Margaret Suzanne Tipton as Estela. / photo by Gloria Diaz
Shelli DeRobertis
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Gloria Diaz, Arts and Entertainment Editor
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