An Afternoon with Playwright of “Real Women Have Curves”
Award winning playwright Josefina López will be in San Diego on April 11, 2026 for a one-day speaking engagement at Point Loma Nazarene University. One year after her Broadway debut of the musical “Real Women Have Curves”(April 27, 2025, at the James Earl Jones Theatre), López invites the local community of students, educators, and theatre artists to learn about her artistic journey and passion for arts education – especially for underprivileged youth.
López began her writing journey at just 17 years old, penning her first play “Simply Maria or the American Dream,” produced by Playwrights Project in the third season of “Plays by Young Writers” (1987) at the former Gaslamp Quarter Theatre. Playwrights Project is proud to be hosting the nationally recognized Latina artist, as she holds a special place in our hearts and history.
“Winning the California Young Playwrights Contest when I was 17 changed my life. I was no longer just a “crazy” and rebellious Latina, I was a playwright with something to say. I went from feeling powerless to gaining the self-confidence to believe I could be the protagonist of my life and take charge of my destiny,” offered Josefina López, playwright.
López’s 30-plus year career as a playwright, producer, and performer is bedeviled with awards including the 2002 Sundance Audience Award for the screenplay of her best-known work “Real Women Have Curves.” Her many plays have had over 150 productions across the country, including at the San Diego Repertory Theatre (1994) and OnStage Playhouse in Chula Vista (2020).
Born in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, López immigrated to the United States at age five and grew up in Boyle Heights. Undocumented for thirteen years, she received Amnesty in 1987 and became a U.S. citizen in 1995. She holds a degree from Columbia College Chicago and an MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film & Television.
This special engagement marks a meaningful moment for San Diego’s arts community, bringing one of the nation’s most influential Latina playwrights back to the city where her journey began.
Her visit offers a rare opportunity to learn from a groundbreaking artist whose work has reshaped American theatre. Her story serves as a reminder that when young people are given the tools to tell their stories, entire communities are strengthened.
For ticketing and information, visit https://playwrightsproject.org/events/
Category: Authors, Books, Education, Entertainment, Events, Local News, Theatre
