Career

After having over 100 productions of her plays throughout the United States, Josefina López is one of today's preeminent Chicana writers.citation needed She has written several plays such as Simply Maria, Or the American Dream; Confessions of Women From East L.A.; Boyle Heights; Lola Goes To Roma; Food For The Dead; Unconquered Spirits; Queen of the Rumba and Real Women Have Curves.

She is the co-screenwriter of the film version of her play Real Women Have Curves (2002), starring America Ferrera (Ugly Betty), Lupe Ontiveros, and Ingrid Oliu (Stand and Deliver). The movie garnered much acclaim, including at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival where the film won the "Audience Award" and a "Special Jury Award for Acting." Josefina has written several other screenplays including Loteria for Juarez about the mysterious murders of women in the Mexico/US border town of Ciudad Juárez; ADD Me to the Party, an original comedic screenplay about three Latinas addicted to adrenaline who drive around in an Impala looking for the next distraction; Lola Goes To Roma, a mother-daughter comedy that takes place in Europe; a biopic titled Queen Of the Rumba, and a family comedy titled No Place Like Home. In 2013, she wrote and produced the film version of her play Detained in the Desert, which tells the story of two people on opposite sides of the immigration debate who find each other lost in the desert and discover their humanity and the true plight of migrants crossing the Arizona desert.

CASA 0101 Theateredit

She is also the Founder and Artistic Director of CASA 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights. CASA 0101 was founded by Josefina López in 2000 to fulfill her vision of bringing art and live theater programs to the community she grew up in, Boyle Heights. CASA 0101's mission statement is:

CASA 0101 is dedicated to providing inspiring theater performances, art exhibits and educational programs – to Boyle Heights, thereby nurturing the future storytellers of Los Angeles who will someday transform the world.

CASA 0101 operated for 11 years at its original location—a converted former bridal shop—and in September 2011, moved to its new home: a fully equipped 99-seat theater featuring an art gallery and a dedicated classroom. This space is only one block away from its original location—now renamed "Little Casa"—and both spaces are a part of CASA 0101. Mainstage productions and art exhibits featuring Angelino artists are presented year-round at CASA 0101 Theater, while smaller plays and workshop productions are presented at Little Casa. From its humble beginnings operating out of a converted store front, CASA 0101 has established itself as a leading arts venue for Los Angeles' Eastside, presenting theatrical productions, film festivals, and other special events year round.

At CASA 0101, López's commitment is to teach screenwriting and playwriting and nurture a new generation of Latino artists. According to López,

Latinos are the majority in Los Angeles, yet our stories do not generally get told at the major theatres. So our mission at CASA 0101 is to represent the reality of Los Angeles and the US. We strive to make theatre accessible to Boyle Heights residents by making it affordable and telling stories that would interest Latinos and women. I am very proud that we are a catalyst in the Artistic Renaissance in Boyle Heights and that we are often taken into consideration by journalists when mentioning Latino theatres that are making a difference.

Lopez is actively workingwhen? to create an Artist District in Boyle Heights where theater, arts and music can flourish and create opportunities for the many talented artists who reside in Boyle Heights or grew up in Boyle Heights and want to return to contribute. Lopez opened Casa Fina Restaurant and Cantina in Boyle Heights in 2017 as a way to prevent gentrification and to further the artistic renaissance of the neighborhood.

In January 2018, Lopez announced that Casa 0101 was in danger of closing its doors due to lack of funding. This was at least partially caused by state regulations requiring the theater to pay theater volunteers as employees (including 3 years of back pay). After a multi-tiered fundraising effort focusing on dedicated membership to the theater, recruiting new board members, and local funding, it was announced in December 2018 that the theater would remain open for a 2019 season.

Acclaimedit

López has won several awards including a Gabriel García Márquez award from Mayor of Los Angeles in 2003. She was also recognized by the WGA as the cover story for the December 2002/January 2003 issue of the prestigious Writers' Guild magazine Written By, entitled "Real Writers Have Courage." López and cowriter George LaVoo won the "Humanitas Award for Screenwriting" for Real Women Have Curves. She was awarded a Screenwriting Fellowship by the California Arts Council for 2001 and in 1988 she was recognized by California Sen. Barbara Boxer as a "woman who has made history in the entertainment industry".