Displaying items by tag: Yona Moises Olivares
Teatro Vista and Steppenwolf’s BOTH Twists Family Truths Into a Slow‑Burn Thriller
From the moment BOTH starts, the play demands attention. Flashing lights, sirens, and the sounds of heavy breathing build as Xochi (Paloma Nozicka) locks herself inside, trying to shut out the world. She just lost her twin brother, and nothing will be the same.
Co-presented by Teatro Vista Productions and Steppenwolf Theatre Company, BOTH is a gripping thriller that weaves humor, trauma, and terror. Is truth important, it asks, when a lie seems to be the fix?
Years after the tragedy, Xochi is now expecting a child with her doting boyfriend, Sam (Brian King) and anxiously awaiting the arrival of her family at her baby shower. Her relationships with her mother (Charin Alvarez) and brother (Eddie Martinez) are strained due to their loss and her “fictional” novel, which is actually a thinly veiled account of her rough childhood.
Xochi isn’t apologetic about it though. To her, you are either good, or you’re a liar. But her conviction is a bludgeon to those around her who need “their truth” to sugar-coat the past, their addiction, their motives, or the reality of what happened to Xochi’s twin - is he dead or only missing?
Xochi is confident that he died... until he crashes the party. Is this man (Yona Moises Olivares) actually Sebastian or someone pretending to be him?
As the lead and playwright, Nozicka is a commanding presence who gives her character intelligence and grit as she stands her ground as the walls close in on her. Olivares is a good foil for her, bouncing between sweet and sinister effortlessly, making one question what is real. What truly makes this piece work though is the intricate, flesh-out performances from the entire ensemble. Their complexity makes them feel tangible, perhaps even evoking one’s only family members.
One important character not mentioned yet is the beach house. The beach house set, designed by Sotirios Livaditis, is pristine and almost too perfect at first glance—an immaculate showroom of a life Xochi desperately wants to hold together. But as Xochi’s emotions spill over, the home takes on a life of its own. It serves as the perfect backdrop as black‑and‑white muddies into gray and control melts into chaos.
Georgette Verdin’s sure, intuitive direction threads humor, dread, and heartbreak together, allowing the play’s deeper emotional currents to resonate fully. BOTH is part Ordinary-People and part Rosemary’s-Baby. While the end does leave a bit to be desired given the play’s sharp execution, it still satisfies and leaves the audience questioning what the truth is as they unravel the mystery.
Teatro Vista and Steppenwolf have built a steady creative partnership in recent seasons, with Teatro Vista serving as a resident company in Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater. The collaboration pairs Steppenwolf’s institutional reach with Teatro Vista’s commitment to Latine storytelling, resulting in annual productions that spotlight new voices and ambitious work. BOTH is yet another worthwhile entry in that partnership, reflecting the shared investment both companies have made in developing bold, ensemble‑driven theater.
BOTH runs at Steppenwolf Theatre until May 10, 2026.
This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com.
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