An LA-raised director is coming home to stage a story rooted in the city's Latina community.

Pasadena Playhouse announced Friday, July 18, that Obie Award-winning director Laurie Woolery will direct what the theater calls the first post-Broadway production of Real Women Have Curves: The Musical, running April 14 through May 16, 2027. Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman made the announcement as part of the Playhouse's 2026-2027 season.

Woolery grew up in Los Angeles and spent more than a decade leading Public Works at The Public Theater in New York, a program that turns community members into creators rather than spectators. She has directed at the National Theatre in London, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Yale Repertory, and Cornerstone Theater Company, among others. She previously collaborated with the musical's co-composer Benjamin Velez on a Shakespeare adaptation at The Public's Delacorte Theater.

Her connection to the source material runs deep. In a statement released with the announcement, Woolery said she remembers "decades ago gathering with a small group of other young Latine women in the garage of Josefina Lopez's home in East LA all united with a desire to tell stories from our lived experience. To now have the opportunity to tell this iconic story in my hometown of Los Angeles at this moment in time is both a dream and my greatest honor."

The musical is based on the play by LA playwright Josefina López, whose original Real Women Have Curves premiered in 1990 and was staged at Pasadena Playhouse in 2015 to mark its 25th anniversary. Set in 1987 Boyle Heights, the story follows Ana Garcia as she navigates her ambitions, her family's expectations, and the community of women who shaped her.

The score earned a Tony nomination for Best Original Score at the 78th Tony Awards in 2025. It was written by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Joy Huerta of the Mexican pop duo Jesse & Joy and Benjamin Velez, known for Kiss My Aztec. The book is by Lisa Loomer and Nell Benjamin.

The Broadway production opened April 27, 2025, at the James Earl Jones Theatre and closed June 29, 2025, after 31 previews and 73 regular performances. When Feldman learned no national tour was planned, he moved to bring the show to Pasadena. "Celebrating a community is another form of resistance and power in these times," Feldman told the Los Angeles Times in May 2026 when the season was first announced.

Tickets are not yet on sale. Groups of 10 or more will be able to save up to 35 percent off. Special performances include a Wine Wednesday preview on Wednesday, April 14, 2027, at 7:30 p.m.; a Childcare Matinee on Saturday, May 1, 2027, at 2 p.m. with onsite care for children ages 5 to 12; and an Open Captioned performance on Sunday, May 2, 2027, at 2 p.m.

Pasadena Playhouse is at 39 S. El Molino Ave. Residents can subscribe to the Playhouse mailing list at PasadenaPlayhouse.org for ticket sale updates. The production is part of a 2026-2027 season that also includes The Visit, Passing Strange, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.