Trujillo had been waiting for a perfect project to make his directorial debut, with choreography for shows like "Jersey Boys" and "Memphis" already under his belt.
"I knew that whatever I was going to do had to resonate both personally, and globally and universally," he said.
"Real Women Have Curves" fit the bill perfectly.
Based on the play and movie of the same name, "Real Women Have Curves" explores the immigrant experience in America, specifically through the eyes of women working in a garment factory.
It tells a story of balancing family loyalty and personal ambition, and it comes at a time when the immigrant experience is at the center of so many social and political conversations.
"As the son of an immigrant, you are born in debt," Trujillo said. "That means so many times you have to sacrifice for what you really want to be."
Growing up, he dreamed of dancing, choreographing, and directing, but needed to "put those dreams on hold for a long time."
Now, though, he gets to do exactly what he dreamed of with a story that could not be more fitting, with his mother having been a seamstress.
"I'm paying back to not only to my mother again, for the sacrifices that she has made," Trujillo said. It is also "for all of the incredible women whose shoulders I stand on."
He is immensely proud of his work, which resonates with audiences at the James Earl Jones Theatre every night, and is thrilled to continue on his "mission to figure out how to empower communities."
"Nothing is more fulfilling than sitting in a theater and watching the audience give the women a standing ovation mid-show," Trujillo said. "It's a moment of empowering all women. Everyone in the audience stands up to celebrate the courage of those actors, but the courage of that moment, and that's what fills me with pride."
Trujillo asserted that "Real Women Have Curves" is the show "with the most heart this season." It not only tells a relevant, important story, but is a culmination of everything that has led him to this moment.
"'Real Women Have Curves' ... has proved to me of what is possible," Trujillo said. "I have a responsibility of lifting my family, our community, our culture. I carry them on my shoulders. ... And I'm going to persist, and I'm going to persevere for as long as I can to make sure that our voices are being heard loud and clear."
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