Cast Of Broadway's 'Real Women Have Curves' Perform Live

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – "Cast Of Broadway's 'Real Women Have Curves' Perform Live"

Release Date: May 8, 2025

Introduction

In this engaging episode of ALL OF IT, host Alison Stewart takes listeners behind the scenes of Broadway's latest sensation, the musical adaptation of Real Women Have Curves. Live from the WNYC studios in Soho, Alison welcomes Tony-nominated composers Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez, alongside talented performers Tatiana Cordoba, Eileen Mayague, and Florencia Cuenca. Together, they explore the creation, themes, and performances that make this production a standout in contemporary theater.

Behind the Musical

Real Women Have Curves is set in late 1980s Los Angeles and centers on Ana Garcia, an aspiring journalist caught between her dreams of attending Columbia University and her family's expectations to support their household, particularly in her sister Estella's dress factory. Alison Stewart provides a vivid overview of the plot, emphasizing the cultural and familial dynamics that drive the narrative.

At [00:29], Alison introduces the musical:
"If you're looking for some joy on Broadway, look no further than the new musical Real Women Have Curves."

Guests and Nominations

Composers Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez share their heartfelt journey towards creating the musical score, earning them Tony nominations for Best Original Score. Benjamin Velez recounts his emotional reaction upon receiving the nomination:

At [02:11], Benjamin shares:
"I just heard my name and then I heard Benjamin's name and I was in shock for a little bit... I could not stop crying that whole day because this is my first ever musical."

Tatiana Cordoba reflects on the significance of the nomination after 15 years in the theater world, highlighting the fulfillment and recognition it brings to their hard work and dedication.

Live Performances

The episode features captivating live performances from the cast, bringing the musical’s emotional depth to life.

• "Flying Away": Performed by Tatiana Cordoba, this powerful "I Want" song introduces Ana Garcia's internal struggle between pursuing her aspirations and fulfilling family obligations. The song encapsulates her desire to find a balance between personal dreams and familial duty.

  At [03:54], Eileen Mayague explains the song's context:
  "This song sort of is her journey and starting to figure out how she can maybe do those things."

• "If I Were a Bird": Sung by Tatiana Cordoba and Eileen Mayague, this piece explores Itzel’s yearning for freedom amidst the challenges of being undocumented. The lyrics poignantly capture her longing to rise above societal constraints and pursue her true self.

  At [15:38], Florencia Cuenca delivers impactful lines:
  "If I were a bird I'd rise above what feels unfair up in the sky the world seems small do what I want because I am free."

• "Daydream": Florencia Cuenca and Tatiana Cordoba perform this introspective song, delving into Estella’s hopes and dreams despite the hardships she faces running the family factory. The performance highlights Estella’s resilience and vision for a better future.

Composition and Collaboration

Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez discuss their unique collaboration process, especially during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Working remotely, they utilized voice memos and virtual meetings to compose the musical score, demonstrating adaptability and creative synergy.

At [09:26], Tatiana Cordoba explains:
"We would record voice memos on our phones and then text them, email them back and forth."

Benjamin Velez elaborates on how their pop music background enriched the musical theater landscape, allowing for more expansive storytelling through multiple interconnected songs.

At [11:02], Benjamin shares:
"Unlike theater, whenever you want to tell a story through a song, you're telling the whole story in three minutes. Here it's different. You have many songs to tell one story, and you're telling different sides of it."

Incorporating Latin American Influences

The composers emphasize the importance of integrating diverse Latin sounds to authentically represent the Garcia family's multicultural background. Each character’s unique heritage is reflected in their distinct musical styles, blending traditional elements with contemporary influences.

At [12:39], Tatiana Cordoba states:
"We really wanted it to feel contemporary, contemporary, but also specific to each character."

This approach ensures that the music not only complements the narrative but also enriches the portrayal of each character’s individual story.

Themes and Relevance

Alison Stewart addresses the poignant themes of the musical, particularly its relevance to current social issues surrounding immigration and undocumented experiences. Despite being set in the 1980s, the musical resonates deeply today, highlighting enduring struggles and the universal desire for dignity and recognition.

Benjamin Velez articulates the show's mission to humanize and dignify the lives of undocumented individuals:

At [22:00], Benjamin reflects:
"We are humanizing their stories. We are dignifying them with telling how they live... It's a beautiful story about a generation of women... with such grace."

This commitment to authentic representation underscores the musical’s emotional and cultural significance.

Personal Dreams and Inspirations

Guests open up about their personal dreams and the support systems that have enabled them to achieve their aspirations. Tatiana Cordoba shares the pivotal role of her mentors and family in nurturing her musical talents:

At [23:55], Tatiana shares:
"I had this one teacher, Dr. Khalil... She always encouraged me to do it on the side."

Benjamin Velez credits his wife as his primary source of strength and inspiration, highlighting the importance of a supportive personal life in pursuing creative endeavors.

At [25:02], Benjamin expresses:
"She’s my rock. She helps me dream bigger every single day."

Closing Performances and Final Thoughts

The episode concludes with a moving rendition of "Daydream," performed by Florencia Cuenca, which encapsulates Estella’s internal desires and the overarching theme of dreaming amidst adversity. The performance serves as a powerful reminder of the characters’ resilience and the universal quest for personal fulfillment.

Alison Stewart wraps up the discussion by thanking the guests and highlighting the impactful storytelling of Real Women Have Curves.

At [29:04], Alison summarizes:
"Real Women Have Curves is playing at the James Earl Jones theater. My guests have been Tony nominees Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez, as well as Tatiana Cordoba, Eileen Mayague, and Florencia Cuenca. Thank you so much for being with us."

Conclusion

This episode of ALL OF IT offers a comprehensive and heartfelt exploration of Real Women Have Curves, showcasing the collaborative spirit and cultural depth of the production. Through insightful interviews and enthralling performances, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for the musical's artistic and societal contributions, reflecting ALL OF IT’s mission to engage with and celebrate the creators and consumers of culture.

Transcript

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studios in soho. Thank you for sharing part of your day with us. If you're looking for some joy on Broadway, look no further than the new musical Real Women have Curves. And I'm talking about both the exuberance of the show and about one of the Tony nominated composers. Joy Huerta is one half of the Grammy winning Mexican pop duo Joy and Jessie. She paired up with composer and lyricist Benjamin Velez to tackle the musical for this project which is based on the 1990 play and the beloved 20082002 film. She and Benjamin are Tony nominated for best original score. The musical is set in Los Angeles in the late 1980s and follows the Garcia family. Ana Garcia is the only documented citizen in her family. She's an aspiring journalist and her dream is to head off to Columbia for college in the fall. But her family has some other ideas. Her mother, Carmen insists that she needs to stay at home to help protect the family. Her older sister Estella needs help at the dress factory she runs. Can Anna help her family and still realize her dreams? Real Women have Curves is running now at the James Earl Jones Theater through October 5th. And we are joined now by Tony nominated composers. You like to hear that, Joy, don't you?

[Joy Huerta]

Yeah, I do.

[Benjamin Velez]

I was just like watching you.

[Alison Stewart]

Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez. Nice to talk to you as well.

[Benjamin Velez]

Nice to you too. Thank you for having us.

[Alison Stewart]

And we're also joined by Tatiana Cordoba, Eileen Mayague and Florencia Cuenca who are going to perform for us live in the studio. Hello over there.

[Benjamin Velez]

Hi.

[Alison Stewart]

We're going to hear music right away. But I did want to ask you, where were you when you heard that you won, that you well, that you were nominated?

[Benjamin Velez]

I love your manifestation.

[Alison Stewart]

I did. I manifested it.

[Benjamin Velez]

Thank you so much. I was at the hotel. I was at the hotel with my family and my wife told me it was like the nominations are coming out at 8:30am we have two little kids. So of course we were up very early and I mean, I just heard my name and then I heard Benjamin's name and I was in shock for a little bit. And then we spoke briefly after that and after receiving so many phone calls, I just. I could not stop crying that whole day because this is my first ever musical. I live in the pop world with my. With my band, like you said, Jessie and Joy. And I know it's music, but it's entirely different from the theater and the musical theater especially. And it's just been amazing. Like, I've become obsessed with this community in the theater world and the wonderful people that I've met here. So I just feel like. It feels like a warm welcome. I'm manifesting that too.

[Alison Stewart]

What did the nomination mean for you, Benjamin?

[Tatiana Cordoba]

I mean, I come from the theater world, so I've been working towards this for 15 years, and it's really a dream come true that you hope will happen one day, but you never know. And working with Joy has been the best gift. And we called each other right after, and that's when I feel like I had so much pent up emotion from this whole five years of writing this show. When it finally came out on that phone call and it was beautiful.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, when I went to see the show, I walked. I said, oh, yeah, that's gonna get Tony nomination right away. As soon as I listened to the whole show and I thought about the whole thing, it made so much sense to me that you were nominated. So I'm. Congratulations to all of you. Let's hear a song. We're gonna hear Flying Away, the big I Want song. The first act, Tatianna is at the microphone. Tatiana, tell us what's going on with Anna when she sings this number.

[Eileen Mayague]

Hi. Yeah. So this is Anna's first number in the show. This is sort of your introduction into her and her world and the journey that you're about to go on. And this song is basically her talking about all of the things that have been laid out for her. You know, does she follow her dreams and go to college? Does she stay and help her family? And is there a way she can do both? So that's sort of. This song sort of is her journey and starting to figure out how she can maybe do those things.

[Alison Stewart]

This is flying away.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Should have told.

[Eileen Mayague]

Them then and there Now I've made myself a mess and really, what the hell is wrong with me? Why do I always second guess? They gave up so much so I could have more and if I don't.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Go.

[Eileen Mayague]

What was all of it for?

[Florencia Cuenca]

4 flying away the wind on my side Taking a chance on me Looking.

[Eileen Mayague]

Ahead for the first time but could.

[Florencia Cuenca]

I fly away.

[Eileen Mayague]

Without her on my side? Summer heat and Summer sweat dragging me.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Down.

[Eileen Mayague]

What'S the point of having wings at all if I never leave the ground?

[Florencia Cuenca]

Why settle for less?

[Eileen Mayague]

I'll impress them and show I belong.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Skyward bound Flying away doing it all if I can prove.

[Eileen Mayague]

Maybe my dreams wouldn't have to be small I'll find a way to get them on my.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Side Fly to the edge of it all and rewrite my story.

[Joy Huerta]

Show that.

[Florencia Cuenca]

I'm so much more than a face in the crowd and the fact that I reach is the reason they're proud and maybe then she would give me.

[Eileen Mayague]

Her blessing if I can be brave enough to show I can fly.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Flying away I'll make her see that I'm gonna change the world and still be the daughter she wants me to be Fly, fly with the wind on my side I hope that I'll fly.

[Eileen Mayague]

With them on my side.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Yay.

[Alison Stewart]

We'll clap. Let's clap. Let's clap. Yes. That was Tatiana Cordoba performing Flying Away from the new musical Real Women have Curves. She stars as Ana Garcia. The song was written by Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez, who were both Tony nominated for Best original Score. So you've never written for the stage before?

[Benjamin Velez]

No, never for the stage.

[N/A]

Why?

[Alison Stewart]

Was it something you wanted to try?

[Benjamin Velez]

I was approached by the director and one of the producers in Mexico City early 2020, and I had the other producers, Barry Wisler, on FaceTime, and they were just so passionate about the project. When they were telling me a little bit about the play and about the movie and what it could mean, I was just like, I love challenges. And it just sounded so much fun. And the next day came the pandemic, and it was locked down, and I was like, okay, I have time. You know, I'll read the play. I'll watch the movie. And I panicked. I was like, what did I get myself into? Like, what do you do when the material is solid and it's like, it was a different version of it? Because the play and the movie are so much. So much more different than our show. I was like, how can you. What? Like, what are we gonna do with this? And they were walking me through the process of how, you know, we were. We were gonna use that as inspiration to tell our story through the lens of today, basically. And I was like, look, I've done music for more than half my life, but I've never done it for theater. Could you please get me some help? And then Benjamin Veles came into the picture, and he was just, like, such a. Such an amazing collaborator. We worked Most of the. Through Zoom and through FaceTime, like, we were not in the same place, and it was just like, okay. He was very patient.

[Alison Stewart]

You guys didn't meet each other for the longest time?

[Tatiana Cordoba]

No, over a year and a half before we actually got to hug.

[Benjamin Velez]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

So what was the process like when you were working remotely?

[Tatiana Cordoba]

Well, we joked that it was actually. There were a lot of pros. Because we both write music and lyrics, we each want to be constantly humming melodic ideas. And that's not the easiest if you're in the same room.

[Benjamin Velez]

Exactly.

[Tatiana Cordoba]

And I play piano and Joy plays guitar. And what we would do is we would record voice memos on our phones and then text them, email them back and forth, and then we would both be fooling around. And thanks to Zoom, we could mute each other, and we could both. And when one of us had an idea, we could be like, ah, I have something. Can I show you?

[Benjamin Velez]

But we would literally sometimes just keep each other company because he couldn't hear me, I couldn't hear him. And that allowed us to really develop certain ideas on our own to bring together. Because I don't know if you've ever been involved in any musical thing, but if you start hearing someone humming a melody, you feel like you can jam to it, and you can maybe start vibing with that, and that turns into something. It's a great thing. But in this case, what it allowed us to do is, like, develop each. Each sound that we were working on and then be like, oh, I love this, but maybe this could work better with that other song that we were writing for this other moment. And so it was. It was something that we loved. And then whenever we were in the same room a couple of years after that, we'd be like, I'm gonna go outside. I'm gonna step outside for a second and be right back.

[Tatiana Cordoba]

But also, I think because Joy worked so closely with her brother, she was just so generous as a collaborator. Like, when we were sending each other voice memos back and forth, a lot of it is, oh, let's use your idea, or let's use your. And we were both very. It felt very natural. The ebb and flow of that.

[Alison Stewart]

What was about your pop sensibilities that worked for you in this situation?

[Benjamin Velez]

Well, unlike theater, whenever you want to tell a story through a song, you're telling the whole story in three minutes. And here it's different. You have many songs to tell to tell one story, and you're telling different sides of it. So I think, in a way, for me, it was like, oh, my gosh, I have so much time to say so many things, so let's just expand this idea or turn it into something else. But I feel like also, it helped us in a way, like, really capture certain themes into certain songs and really wrap them up with things that we wanted to say. Like, you can definitely feel. Or maybe this is a question. I don't know if for you. It felt like every song was resolved, but at the same time, they all had to do something within. Like, they were all intertwined. I feel like to me, that's something that felt like a pro. It was like instead of a con from my world.

[Alison Stewart]

My guests are Tony nominees Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez. They wrote the music and lyrics for the new Broadway musical Real Women have Curves, which has been nominated for best Original Score. I do want to step out of this and put on my news hat for a moment. I just got word. White smoke is pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney. Singling a new pope has been elected to lead the Catholic Church. NPR will be covering this closely, so stay with us all day for the latest and the absolute news. At 1pm I did want to point that out back to the show. I put on my musical hat. Now, the characters from all over Latin America, not just Mexico. How did you want to incorporate the global Latin sound?

[Tatiana Cordoba]

That's a great question. I mean, I think that that was the joy of this, was that this is a factory full of women who maybe the world sees them as a monolith of undocumented workers in America. But we want it, each and every one of them, to feel like a distinct human with their own story and their own reasons for coming here. And I think one of the joys of the original story is that Anna is kind of witnessing just them be themselves in their routines and their hopes, their fears, how they get through the day with comedy. And little by little, she realizes that her preconceived notions of who they were are different. So we tried to bring in influences from all different genres, different countries, but also fuse them with what they would have be hearing on the radio now or in the 1980s, what they would have been hearing, and then also bring in styles from today. We really wanted it to feel contemporary, contemporary, but also specific to each character. And we had a lot of fun building out those unique, different sounds.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, Eileen, come on down. We're about to play the song if I Were a Bird, which is a certain way in the show that we can't necessarily do here on Public A radio edit. The radio edit. All right, tell us a little bit about your character in this show.

[Joy Huerta]

I play Itzel, who is a 19 year old from Guatemala. She's the newest arrival to Estela's factory and she is undocumented. And the hardships that she faces because of that situation, which, as we know is a very impossible legal system that a lot of people face, leads her to have this, like, amazing sense of humor. And in this song, basically a really scary moment happens in the show and then the girls just go upstairs to the roof to blow off some steam. And if you want to hear the full version, you gotta come to Broadway and see if we're looking up curves.

[Benjamin Velez]

Not to Radio Edit.

[Alison Stewart]

This is Tatiana Cordova and Eileen Mayagotia with if I Were a Bird from Real Women have Curves.

[Joy Huerta]

When you look at birds, they're funny little creatures but once they're in the sky they look so mighty Riding on the wind all borders disappear and up there in the sky they have no.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Fear.

[Joy Huerta]

If I were a bird I'd.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Rise above what feels unfair up in the sky the world seems small do what I want Go anywhere because I.

[Joy Huerta]

Am free Sing like a bird I.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Tone my call so far beyond and.

[Joy Huerta]

Gracefully out of reach from la migra Politicians and boys who are who just wanna, you know if I were a.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Bird I'd shh on that.

[Joy Huerta]

There's a Mayan bird we call it the Quetzal Colorful and bright A symbol of freedom it's hardly ever seen because if it's captured it would rather starve to death than take another bre I.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Won'T let no cage capture me if I were a bird I'd rise above what I don't like up in the sky I'm in control Land where I want the world is mine Mine to explore Sing like a bird Free in my soul Free in my soul so far beyond Gracefully taking a sh on la miga Touchy boyfriends, Air pollution, too.

[Eileen Mayague]

Much ruffles Bossy mothers, smelly feet, ironing and Catalina.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Yes, if I were a bird. If you were a bird. If I were a bird if I were a bird if I were a bird I ch on that bird.

[Alison Stewart]

We'll have more from Real Women have Curves after a quick break. This is all of it. You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. My guests are Tony nominees Joy Huerta and Benjamin Vales. They wrote the music and lyrics for the new Broadway musical Real Women have Curves. They've been nominated for Best original score. Benjamin, you have actors here. Eileen, Tatiana, Florenka, you write songs for these characters when the actors take them on and bring them a whole new life. What song really changed for you once it hit the stage?

[Benjamin Velez]

Whew.

[Tatiana Cordoba]

I mean, so much of what as a writer is that partnership with the actor. So a lot of them did. But it's funny you asked that, because I feel like Daydream. Our third song changed the most just because Florencia is such a one of a kind performer and we really wanted to lean into her Mexican heritage. She's a Mexican immigrant herself and she has this voice that's just incredible for mariachi style. And we wanted to infuse that into the character's song, but we didn't know who our Estela was going to be. And I was mentioning to Joy during the break that all three of the songs we're showing today are actually I want songs for our characters, which is rare to have that many I want songs. But because this is such a slice of life story where you're getting to know people, we really wanted to find ways to get inside their heads.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, that was interesting because there are different ways that we get introduced to every character. You know, each character kind of has a song that sets them up. How did you want to introduce us to the characters?

[Benjamin Velez]

So, first of all, we wanted to do it sonically and we wanted everyone to have a different sound. The women in the factory have a particular sound when they're singing all together. Ana has her own sound since she was born and raised in the us so she has more of a pop contemporary sound. Estela was brought in when she was little, so she still has that Mexican pop and she has this American sound because she's also been living here for quite some time. The mother, she has a mariachi flair, but we were weaving everything through a pop sound that would sound contemporary. But right now that you were mentioning the thing of the want songs, I think I love the. Because in Anna and Itzel, I see them as a coin because they are living different lives depending on where they were born. And Ana is singing she hopes she can fly because it's a possibility for her where Itzel can only dream that if she could be a bird, what her life could be about. And so we were trying to bring some of these images and weave them into the story, hoping that maybe people could catch on on those. What's the word? I forgot it in English, but basically, yeah, the metaphor of it. And no spoiler. But in the end, if she does or doesn't get to fly away. Like, we were trying to point that out. Like, it was just depending on. Some people just get lucky for where they were born. But going back to your question, it's just. It was a matter of sound for us in the storytelling. It was a matter of finding what that character was going to be in the book and then finding out what their sound was in person. Once we had the actors, it was just wonderful to be like, oh, my gosh, this is gonna play so good to their strengths.

[Tatiana Cordoba]

Well, I would say with Justina Machado, who's also Tony nominated for Best Supporting Actress, she just brings this incredible sense of command of the stage and comedy chops. And so when we went through a couple versions of what Carmen's song is, because she has this song now called De Nada, where she's.

[Benjamin Velez]

You're welcome.

[Tatiana Cordoba]

Guilting her daughter into. No, you have to stay, because we crossed the desert to bring you here so you could be born here.

[Benjamin Velez]

Thank you so much. So much for you. You're welcome.

[Tatiana Cordoba]

And so we made a lot of tweaks to that song once we saw it in Justina's body and her voice to really lean into just that. She has this really charming way of putting on the guilt and leaning into the charm. But also the content of it is tough to hear as a kid.

[Alison Stewart]

It's a very timely show given all the undocumented people, everything that they're going through in this country. Even though this came out 20, 25 years ago, there's a terrifying scene where the characters, they have to hide from immigration. A character is deported. What has it been like for you to be part of a show that's speaking so directly to this moment?

[Benjamin Velez]

Well, we started writing it five years ago, which makes it even crazier, because Lisa Loomer, one of the writers, she specifically wanted it to take place in 1987 so we could highlight all the differences. But we just never imagined that maybe some things were actually going to be. Were going to be better in 1987 than what they are today. I am Mexican American myself. I was born and raised in Mexico City. And I think I forgot to say that when you asked me at the very beginning. And I think that's one of the things that I was very passionate about, the fact that I got to tell another part of my story and see part of my culture and one of the most, if not the most important stage in theater in the world, and to be able to tell the story of these undocumented people In a way that it's like they're not defined as immigrants. They are people. We're humanizing their stories. We are dignifying them with, you know, telling how they live. Because, yes, it's a constant fear, but they don't let that stop them. You know, I know we named the show Real Women have Curves, but a part of me, it's like, oh, my gosh, it could have been also been named Make It Work. Because that's what they're doing throughout the whole show. They're making everything work every step of the way. And they're doing it with a smile, they're doing it with humor, no matter how much the world tries to shrink them. It's just a beautiful story about a generation of women, you know, mothers, daughters, friends, sisterhood. And it's fun to watch them in action because you really forget about all the noise that surrounds us, and you really get to see human stories. And you relate so much that you're like, oh, my gosh, it's just, what a crazy world that we live on that we have to label everything instead of just going through it like some people do, like these women with such grace.

[Alison Stewart]

We're going to end things on Daydream. But we should talk about dreams, because it's a big part of this story. People's dreams. What are your dreams? Can you achieve your dreams? Who is somebody who helped you achieve your dreams? Benjamin?

[Tatiana Cordoba]

Oh, man, that's a great question. I actually. So I did music my whole life, but I went to a math and science school for high school, and I had teachers there that because I would still play piano during, like, school assemblies, and they really. They gave me time away from class to work on those things. And I had this one teacher, Dr. Khalil. She taught a solar energy class, but she loved that I played music, and she always encouraged me to do it on the side. And if I didn't have that kind of encouragement, of course, also from my family and my mother. But when people see that something is special for you and they encourage you to do it, it really helps. But speaking of the Daydream song, I mean, not everyone has the ability to dream as big. And I went to a school where there were kids that were undocumented, and I didn't know until it was time to apply for college that they couldn't have the same opportunities. And that was just heartbreaking because you spend your whole life thinking, well, we can all dream of the same things, and we. Some people can't. And we really want to try to put that into the song that Estella sings.

[Alison Stewart]

Who helped you pursue your dreams?

[Benjamin Velez]

Well, initially, I have to say, maybe my parents. I was discovered, literally, by my record label when I was only 18, and I feel like that was early on in the process of my life, But I just feel like ultimately it's been my wife. I have two day jobs, and it's so, so time consuming, and I wouldn't be able to even. Cause I was so scared about this challenge. I was about to say no, and she was like, you can do this. Of course you can do this. And so I definitely. She's my rock. She's my everything. She helps me dream bigger every single day.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, we've got Florencia Cuenca at the microphone. You play Anna's older sister, Estella. She's running the factory. Joy's gonna go over and sing with you in a minute. What's going on with Estella?

[Florencia Cuenca]

When we hear this song, she's literally daydreaming. The world as we know stops, and we go into Estella's mind and just look at her, at her heart.

[Alison Stewart]

This is daydream with Florencia Cuenca. Enjoy, Huertas.

[Benjamin Velez]

Was I ever a child? I don't know Never had a chance not to worry Other kids they could take it slow But I had to grow up in a hurry.

[Florencia Cuenca]

One mistake.

[Benjamin Velez]

Now life's on hold but my mind runs on and I think of all the things that I could be Possibilities far as the eye can see I can see Freedom in the California sun Imagining I could be anyone anyone.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Watch me board a plane, drive a car finally face a cop without worry Charge a credit card, show it Plan a future that isn't so blurry in my head so my mind runs up and I think of all the things that I could see I could be Possibilities for us the eye can see I can see why shouldn't we compare it in the street Just imagine it I could be anything anything Velvet and cream shafar cinnamon silk and balor painting undiscovered wonderland One that I know I.

[Alison Stewart]

So.

[Florencia Cuenca]

I think of all the things that I could be Possibilities far I see I can see I can see Freedom in the California sun Imagining I could be anyone anyone not being chased by the past Letting my fears melt away Making my daydreams.

[Alison Stewart]

Real Women have Curves is playing at the James Earl Jones theater. My guests have been Tony nominees Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez, as well as Tatiana Cordoba, Eileen, Maya Gotia and Florencia Cuenca. Thank you so much. For being with us.

[Tatiana Cordoba]

Thank you for having us.

[Florencia Cuenca]

Thank you for having us.

[Tatiana Cordoba]

What a treat.

[N/A]

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[Progressive Insurance]

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