REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES Reviews- Page 5

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/3/25 at 11:59am

Tatianna Cordoba, Justina Machado, and the company performing the show's finale, "I Got It Wrong":

https://www.today.com/video/-real-women-have-curves-broadway-stars-perform-on-today-240788037741

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/3/25 at 12:00pm

(double post)

[singerunlimited]

Posted: 6/9/25 at 11:21am

Looking at the houses for the upcoming week, and they are really sad. At this moment, the Thursday, June 12, performance is almost completely empty.

I'm pulling for this show, but how long can they reasonably stick this out?

[THDavis]

Posted: 6/9/25 at 12:10pm

I still want to know whose idea it was to do that song in the prime slot of the evening last night. So frustrating. Even “Adios Andres” would have been more entertaining (plus can be taken entirely out of context) and would showcase Justina Machado. Not saying they’d be bold enough to do a song about menstruation/menopause, but last night was a letdown. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 6/9/25 at 12:13pm

THDavis said: "I still want to know whose idea it was to do that song in the prime slot of the evening last night. So frustrating. Even “Adios Andres” would have been more entertaining (plus can be taken entirely out of context) and would showcase Justina Machado. Not saying they’d be bold enough to do a song about menstruation/menopause, but last night was a letdown."

Lin paid for them to perform. His Hamilton status and his deep pockets got them on over BOOP and Smash.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 6/9/25 at 2:13pm

ACL2006 said: "THDavis said: "I still want to know whose idea it was to do that song in the prime slot of the evening last night. So frustrating. Even “Adios Andres” would have been more entertaining (plus can be taken entirely out of context) and would showcase Justina Machado. Not saying they’d be bold enough to do a song about menstruation/menopause, but last night was a letdown."

Lin paid for them to perform. His Hamilton status and his deep pockets got them on over BOOP and Smash."

 

I don’t think that’s what the person is saying. We know why they got that prime slot. I think people are wondering why they absolutely squandered that golden opportunity that other shows were not granted by performing what they did instead of, say, the title song that gets them as standing ovation in the middle of the show each night.

 

They needed to deliver the best performance of the noght, and one that would be memorable. This was their fight for survival, and they completely made the wrong move. If I were Lin I’d be kind of pissed this is what they did with that money. 

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/9/25 at 2:38pm

Everything about this musical screams Muny production in 5-10 years, which is no slight to the written material and performances on display. Conventional enough with the right dose of, well, realism. Keep Trujillo and music director Roberto Sinha attached, and make some magic happen outdoors. 

I never imagined this kind of show would last more than a couple months on Broadway, but it should have a nice afterlife in the regional circuit. 

[pagereynolds]

Posted: 6/9/25 at 2:44pm

BroadwayGirl107 said: "ACL2006 said: "THDavis said: "I still want to know whose idea it was to do that song in the prime slot of the evening last night. So frustrating. Even “Adios Andres” would have been more entertaining (plus can be taken entirely out of context) and would showcase Justina Machado. Not saying they’d be bold enough to do a song about menstruation/menopause, but last night was a letdown."

Lin paid for them to perform. His Hamilton status and his deep pockets got them on over BOOP and Smash."


I don’t think that’s what the person is saying. We know why they got that prime slot. I think people are wondering why they absolutely squandered that golden opportunity that other shows were not granted by performing what they did instead of, say, the title song that gets them as standing ovation in the middle of the show each night.

They needed to deliver the best performance of the noght, and one that would be memorable. This was their fight for survival, and they completely made the wrong move. If I were Lin I’d be kind of pissed this is what they did with that money.

"

You're assuming Lin had no input, which is silly. The title number is fine, but has very little to do with the show (which is part of the problem, the show is about too many things), is too long for the spot, and I honestly thing out of context doesn't sell the show at all. If I don't know the show, I would wonder why these women were taking off their clothes. It gets a standing ovation from some folks every night because it's 2 hours into the show and they earn it.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 6/9/25 at 2:57pm

BroadwayGirl107 said: "I don’t think that’s what the person is saying. We know why they got that prime slot. I think people are wondering why they absolutely squandered that golden opportunity that other shows were not granted by performing what they did instead of, say, the title song that gets them as standing ovation in the middle of the show each night.

They needed to deliver the best performance of the noght, and one that would be memorable. This was their fight for survival, and they completely made the wrong move. If I were Lin I’d be kind of pissed this is what they did with that money."

Because the non-nominated shows apparently received less time than the nominated shows (RWHC and JiT clocked in at 2 and a half minutes), and that's not enough time to do the title song with enough of a build to justify why these women are taking off their clothes and aren't being exploited. (It took them 3:45 on GMA.)  "Make it Work" would have been better but doesn't feature the lead. I can't remember if she's in "Adios Andres," even if they thought a song about menopause was the best option for a national audience.

Unfortunately, given the short time allowed, "Juggling" may have been the best option for a shorter song that involved its lead and was upbeat enough to make the show seem fun, even if I don't think it completely worked either.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 6/9/25 at 9:36pm

MemorableUserName said: "BroadwayGirl107 said: "I don’t think that’s what the person is saying. We know why they got that prime slot. I think people are wondering why they absolutely squandered that golden opportunity that other shows were not granted by performing what they did instead of, say, the title song that gets them as standing ovation in the middle of the show each night.

They needed to deliver the best performance of the noght, and one that would be memorable. This was their fight for survival, and they completely made the wrong move. If I were Lin I’d be kind of pissed this is what they did with that money."

Because the non-nominated shows apparently received less time than the nominated shows (RWHC and JiT clocked in at 2 and a half minutes), and that's not enough time to do the title song with enough of a build to justify why these women are taking off their clothes and aren't being exploited. (It took them 3:45 on GMA.) "Make it Work" would have been better but doesn't feature the lead. I can't remember if she's in"Adios Andres," even if they thought a song about menopause was the best option for a national audience.

Unfortunately, given the short time allowed, "Juggling" may have been the best option for a shorter song that involved its lead and was upbeat enough to make the show seem fun, even if I don't think it completely worked either."

I buy that this is the logic they followed but I think it’s flawed logic. Make internal cuts. Only so much context is needed. The very act of being women who are not the super skinny white European ideal of beauty is what is empowering about that number—and I haven’t even seen the show yet so I don’t know what in the script leads up to it. 

 

Theh had an opportunity and they botched it. Some shows overestimate how invested an audience will be without context and they underestimated. 
 

And re: that song not being what the show is about. Who cares? You need to get butts in seats. If that song gets butts in seats that’s what the show needs. If people are disappointed in the show after buying tickets—that’s another issue. But it really doesn’t sound like many people who saw the show have been disappointed. Their problem is they aren’t selling tickets. At this point if they had people attending who were disappointed that’d be something to celebrate. 
 

How this show fumbles so hard might be something we need to study. The worst things I’ve hear. About this show are “it’s moving but a little bit trite” or “it’s amazing but I’m there are two songs that could be cut from act two”. Still pretty positive endorsements for the show.  It’s depressing! But I’m still rooting for it to somehow turn things around! 

Updated On: 6/9/25 at 09:36 PM

[THDavis]

Posted: 6/10/25 at 8:01am

Agree with BroadwayGirl107. The negative feedback for this show is still lukewarm at worst, so it’s frustrating that this show has fumbled many opportunities. For the Tony’s, why not make cuts to the title numbers? There are even measures with dialogue that can just be tightened up and a rap or two that can be removed (and still showcase Justina). 
 

It would be an interesting study for sure. Hopefully it has a healthy life after Broadway, and hopefully a miracle occurs for the NYC company.  

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 6/10/25 at 2:59pm

BroadwayGirl107 said: "
I buy that this is the logic they followed but I think it’s flawed logic. Make internal cuts. Only so much context is needed. The very act of being women who are not the super skinny white European ideal of beauty is what is empowering about that number—and I haven’t even seen the show yet so I don’t know what in the script leads up to it."

I provided you with a link to the cast performing the number on another show so you can see exactly what leads up to it and decide what, if anything could be cut, but it sounds like you'd prefer to decide what a show you haven't seen should have done without knowing anything about it. So be it.

Justina Machado is out tonight.