CLC to present 'Real Women Have Curves'
Being a real woman has nothing to do with curves.
It has everything to do with being confident in yourself, no matter what your shape or color.
"I want especially women to go away with this confidence," Noelle Velasco said. "I want them to know they are not just a sex object. They are not just an image. They are brains. They are humor. They are everything that makes them."
"Real Women Have Curves," written by Josefina López, will be presented by the College of Lake County theater department and the CLC Latino Outreach Group Friday, Nov. 14 through Saturday, Nov. 22 at the Grayslake campus Studio Theatre. The 2002 film, starring America Ferrera of TV's "Ugly Betty" fame, was based on the play that tells the story of Ana, a Mexican-American teen with dreams of going to college and becoming a famous writer.
Played by Velasco of Round Lake, 18-year-old Ana reluctantly takes a job at her sister Estela's sewing factory in East Los Angeles after graduating high school to raise money for college. She does not get along with the women working there, including her sister and mother. But she realizes these women have a story that needs to be told.
"She realizes these women are stronger than she is sometimes," Velasco said.
Stephanie Reuter of Gurnee plays Estela, who shows confidence on the outside, but inside she is a mess.
"That comes out when she tries to tell people what to do. She is trying to gain respect," Reuter said.
Rosanne Neville Meder of Hawthorn Woods plays Carmen, the overbearing, opinionated, mother who loves to gossip and does not like taking orders from Estela. But Carmen learns that Estela is frightened inside and realizes she needs to try to help boost her daughter's confidence.
"I learn to respect my daughters for what they are and let them grow up," Meder said.
Reuter said one message from this story is people may think to look more at others around them than themselves if there is a situation they think at first can't be overcome.
"Instead of trying to look and see what you can do to fix it, look at the people around you and see what they can offer to you," she said.
Also making up the female cast are Vita Carnduff of Antioch as Pancha and Griselda Gomez of Waukegan as Rosali. Working with a female cast is part of what attracted guest director Carol Karaguez to come to CLC.
Karaguez adds even though the play is about five women, men can identify with the story, the relationships and the camaraderie.
The story is relatable, she said, because everything down to the title came from a moment in Lopez's life.
"Out of five women, there are five different ways we deal with emotions. There is not one person that will not be able to relate," Reuter said.
Karaguez said she will most remember working with a great ensemble who connected on many levels with the material.
"The bottom line of the play is a celebration of women and the work they can do when they work together," she said. "The fact these women as actors can do that, it makes it very genuine on stage."
"Real Women Have Curves"
When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22 and 2 p.m. Nov. 16 in the College of Lake County Studio Theatre, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake.
Cost: A half-price night will be offered Nov. 20 where tickets cost $4. Tickets for other performances cost $10 for general admission and $8 for CLC students and staff, seniors age 65 and older and JLC season subscribers.
Details: Tickets are available at the college box office in the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts. Or call (847) 543-2300 or visit the Web site clcillinois.edu/tickets