One of Latin America’s best-known poets is 17th-century nun Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. A court favorite in Mexico, she was ordered to stop writing by the Catholic church after she sent a private letter to a bishop expounding on women’s right to an education. Karen Zacarias in The Sins of Sor Juana, directed by Edward F. Torres for Teatro Vista, uses snappy, anachronistic modern language to make the nun sharp and real. This ambitious, almost Shakespearean work shows how fierce unmet needs can lead to tragedy in a restrictive society. Sandra Marquez plays Sor Juana as a woman of strong intellect who’s overcome by passion, and Juan F. Villa offers a finely textured portrait of the (likely fictional) man who seduces her in order to betray her, only to find himself in love. Through 11/21: Tue-Thu 7 PM, Fri 11 AM and 7 PM, Sat-Sun 7 PM. Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum, 1852 W. 19th, 312-738-1503. $15-$18.