a conversation with Chris Chavez, director of REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES at Mesa Encore Theatre

Chris Chavez

by Haddi Meyer

Under the direction of Chris Chavez, Josefina Lopez’s play, Real Women Have Curves, is coming to Mesa Encore Theatre, opening this Friday.

This production marks the first full production that Chavez has directed and he has chosen a show full of love and relatable, strong female leads to make his directorial debut.

Despite the helter skelter and chaos of tech week, Chavez took a moment from his busy day to answer a few questions and give a little insight into the show before opening night.

For someone who isn’t aware of the show, what can you tell them about the plot of Real Women Have Curves?

"Real Women Have Curves is an important comedy-drama play in the Chicano literature catalogue that tells of one woman’s experience and growth as she works alongside four older women, over one summer, in a sewing factory in East L.A.  It is a play that deals with topics of immigration, the female Latina experience, body image, and challenging cultural norms and traditions.  The play itself deals with all these topics in a comedic way.  It brings levity to difficult topics, making them easier to digest, while still bringing those topics to the forefront."

I  know that you're not only a director, but an actor as well. How does your experience as an actor help with your ability to direct?

"I have been an actor for over 20 years, with this being my first full production as a director.  As an actor, I worked with some amazing directors and others, less so. As an actor I put aside those things that collectively we did/do not like as actors and instead brought in the things I thought would be more useful and had observed, provided better results as an actor.  Most of all, I tried to keep an open mind and allowed my actors to have as much input as possible."

the cast of Real Women Have Curves at Mesa Encore Theatre
photo by Stephanie 'Tippi' Hart-Dragonfly Studio Photography

The show features five distinct and complex female leads who are all struggling with their own unique issues on top of the collective issues they all face in the factory they work in. What is most compelling about each character?

"Ana is the youngest of the five women and the one who, in a sense, narrates the story. With her, I feel her strong stances on politics and the world around her are what makes her so compelling, along with the fact that she matures by the end of the play, turning her summer in the factory into a learning experience.

Carmen is her Mexican mother, in the most traditional sense.  For her I would say the most admirable quality is her commitment to her family and dedication to following traditional female roles, despite the changing world around her.  Not to mention her ability to clear the tension with a badly timed joke.

Estela is Carmen’s eldest child and Ana’s sister.  Despite having to help her mother raise her younger siblings, Estela has the work-ethic and determination that resulted in opening the sewing factory and does even more, as is revealed at the conclusion of the play.

Pancha is one of the workers in the sewing factory whose ideals closely align with those of Carmen.  She is stern and often blunt, but what I find most compelling about her is her ability to learn from the younger generation (Ana), and strength to finally say “no” to her abusive husband.

Rosali is also a worker in the factory and close friend to Estela.  Rosali is the most sound of the women and tries to keep the peace in the factory.  What makes Rosali such a compelling character is that she learns to minimize her anxieties about her body image and learns to love and accept herself as she is."

What drew you to the actresses who portray your lead roles?

"When I was approached to direct this play, I knew I was going to have a difficult time casting the show.  Each character has specific qualities that each actor must convey to the audience.  That being said, at callbacks the actors in the show were able to show me they had the potential for these characteristics, if they were not already there.  This play relies heavily on relationships both familial and friendly.  At callbacks, these specific actors worked with each other as they already knew each other-I knew, for this play, this was a formula for success!"

Real Women Have Curves discusses gender politics and the Latina immigrant experience. Why did you choose to direct a show so extremely poignant in today’s world?

"I became familiar with the play after seeing the feature film in the early 2000’s.  I felt it was an important film and play, because it portrayed Latina women as real women, and not a stereotype as many other mediums had before (and sadly, still do).  I chose this play because, although it was written almost 30 years ago, it addresses topics that we as a country, and a world, are dealing with still.  I want audiences to hear about these issues from the voices of those who dealt and still deal with them.  Also, I feel women of color are a vastly underrepresented demographic in the theatre world, so I wanted to direct this play, to provide an opportunity to those actors and provide a voice to the voiceless.  They have been silenced for far too long."

Real Women Have Curves is a play which deals with a lot of current political hot-topics. Which scene do you think is the most impactful?

"The play as a whole is pretty impactful, so it is difficult to narrow down the most “noteworthy” scenes.  There are three scenes that stand out to me, first, one in which Ana has a confrontation with Pancha about women’s liberation, second, the one where Estela comes to terms that she may be deported, and lastly, Ana’s final monologue in which she discusses what working in the factory taught her. "

What do you hope the audience leaves thinking about?

"I want audiences to walk away knowing that while many of us are sitting comfortably in our  own homes, the events that these women deal with in the play are a stark reality for many on a daily basis.  Just because we don’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. I want the audience to leave knowing that even if these events do not affect them directly, it still has an effect on us and our world as a whole. The women in this play are our sisters, mothers, daughters, neighbors.  The core ideal of this play is about acceptance, so I also want audiences to leave with a sense of acceptance for themselves, and everyone around them, faults and all."

CLICK HERE for more information on Real Women Have Curves, which runs at Mesa Encore Theatre's Black Box Theatre from October 5th to October 21st