Few know that the origins of birth control pills trace back to Puerto Rico — even though about 65% of women aged 15 to 49 in the United States were using contraception in 2017, with nearly 13% relying on the pill.

Las Borinqueñas, presented by Vision Latino Theatre Company, tells the story of the Puerto Rican women who participated in early trials for the pill, and how they were used as test subjects by American doctors. The show, housed in the Chicago Dramatist’s space, is poignant and touching, and taught me a lesson the history books never mentioned. 

In the 1960s, scientists introduced the first form of combined birth control to American women. The approval was seen as a catalyst for the sexual revolution and a victory for women across the nation.

But that victory came at a cost.

A jovial American radio announcer (Nelson Rodríguez) sets the scene, dropping us headfirst into 1950s Puerto Rico, just after the island became an official U.S commonwealth. 

We are introduced to five women — each with a different take on womanhood, motherhood, sex and American imperialism. 

Rosa (Daniela Martínez) and her sister, Chavela (Audrey Romero), are devoted to their families. Yolanda (Alyssa Corrigan-Cuadrado), a conservative Catholic, works as a nurse at the family health clinic, but leaves to focus on her family. Her sister Fernanda (Alondra Ríos) loves her children but resents her husband and the demands of motherhood. 

The women are forced to confront the skeletons in their closets when María (Kidany Camilo), a fierce feminist and social advocate, returns to Puerto Rico after a brief stint on the mainland. 

The five girls grew up best friends, but drifted apart over political differences.

The audience learns that Fernanda and María have been in love since childhood, but were forced apart by their families. Yolanda resents María for the relationship and makes sure she knows it. 

Chavela reveals that a new doctor is taking over their local clinic. Her name is Dr. Edris Rice-Wray (Katherine Schwartz), and she promises to bring “American progress” to the island with brand-new “family planning efforts.”

Fernanda and María rekindle their love, but their spark is tragically extinguished when Fernanda discovers she is pregnant again. Crumbling under the demands of motherhood, she seeks out an illegal abortion. 

Fernanda never returns home from her appointment, and her life is cut short by the risky procedure. 

Fernanda’s death serves as the climax of the play, and marks a shift in tone, from lighthearted to somber. 

We watch as the remaining four women struggle with their role in a man’s world while grieving their best friend — exhausted by the demands of motherhood and imperialism, with no real freedom and no real choice. 

Dr. Rice-Wray struggles with demons of her own. Her male colleagues insist that she use the women on the island to test a new form of contraception, despite unknown risks. 

The women of Puerto Rico become guinea pigs — encouraged to take unapproved medication for the benefit of the American medical industrial complex. 

Scenic designer Shayna Patel takes us into an ornate island home, which works well in the Chicago Dramatist’s intimate space. Patel crafts a sense of nostalgia and familiarity, even for those who have no connection to Puerto Rico. 

Playwright Nelson Díaz-Marcano balances delicate realism and heightened surreal moments, using the latter to display tension and heightened emotion. Each audience member sat transfixed in their seats — flies on the wall while peering into Yolanda’s living room and Dr. Rice-Wray’s office. 

Director Xavier M. Custodio builds a flawless audience-character relationship, positioning the crowd as firsthand witnesses to the shameful history of American imposition in Puerto Rico. 

Standout actors include Kidany Camilo and Kathrine Schwartz, playing María and Dr. Rice Wray, respectively. 

Camilo’s María is a force to be reckoned with — a symbol of feminist progress and Puerto Rican resistance. She is unafraid to address the elephants in the room and goes toe to toe with the well-meaning but ignorant Dr. Rice-Wray.

Schwartz’s acting is absolute perfection, portraying Rice-Wray as the classic “well-meaning” white woman who still perpetuates systemic harm.

Every actor in the show holds their own and leaves it all on the stage. The play is witty yet moving, and brings an inconceivable part of American history to light.

The U.S medical system still has a lot to answer for when it comes to the historical mistreatment of women and people of color. Nelson Díaz-Marcano and Vision Latino educate the audience about the contentious history with a story that centers around the strength, perseverance and hope of Puerto Rican women. 

Las Borinqueñas runs until Nov. 9, 2025, and its authentic charm is not to be missed!