Review: NOSOTROS LA GENTE (WE THE PEOPLE) Celebrates Family at B St. Theatre

The B Street Theatre and Jerry Montoya have done it again. Another masterful blend of emotion and humor hits the stage with Montoya’s original story based on true events. Nosotros La Gente (We the People) is just as enthralling as Montoya’s previous works, which is no small feat. My first introduction to his writing was Love and Baseball, which was made into a film in 2021. This secured my admiration of Montoya’s talents and now invites eager anticipation for his new projects.

Montoya seamlessly intertwines romance, drama, and comedy into his plays. Nosotros La Gente brings a new facet of culture into the mix, as the story follows a Mexican-American family’s saga from World War II to the present day. Lyndsay Burch directs this tale of loss and renewal, concentrating on the thread of hope woven into the rich fabric of connection and community. Andrea San Miguel and Jaime José Hernández, newcomers to B St., play Sophie and Santiago. Santiago wants Sophie, who is pregnant with their son, to marry him before he leaves for the military. His brother Salvador, played by Arusi Santi, wants Santiago to go into business with him building a farm. What happens when we follow our dreams is sometimes not what we expect. This story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love.

San Miguel is seamless doing double duty as both Sophie and Salvador’s love interest, a white land owner who holds the cards and literal deed to his future. She segues between cultures and voices, hurt and triumph, and reticence and callousness with ease. Hernández is also flawless in his role as a dreamer and optimist, appearing throughout the show in beautifully poignant snippets. Santi’s Salvador is complex: his outward strength is quietly tempered by an aching vulnerability and desire to be loved.

Nosotros La Gente is a show that is not to be missed. You’ll want to say you saw it at the B St. before it takes the theatre world by storm. Love, betrayal, heartache, happiness, racism, dreams, fate…this show includes everything you could ask for in a mesmerizing package. Montoya writes, “the desert is no place for the restless,” but the B St. Theatre is the place to be this month see his incredible work.

Nosotros La Gente plays at the B St. Theatre through May 18th. Tickets may be purchased online at BStreetTheatre.org, at the Box Office at 2700 Capitol Avenue, or by telephone at (916) 443-5300.

Photo credit: Tara Sissom-Pittaro, featuring Arusi Santi*, Andrea San Miguel*, and Jaime José Hernández*.

*Member, Actors' Equity Association

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