Cast

 

IMPALA

She is Chicana, brown-skinned, 18-years-old, with long messy hair and torn jeans.  Her parents own El Paso’s first and only monster truck shop.  She lives a sheltered life on the East side of town and is considered monster-truck "royalty," even though she hates trucks. She quickly becomes a pseudo-punk, with short spiky hair and a pierced nose, as soon as she leaves home for college.

LETTY

She is a beautiful, 18-year-old, Mexican mechanic, with curves that put the sand dunes to shame.  She lives in Juarez, but works and plays in El Paso.   Her latest project is a home-style rebuild of a giant 4x4 truck.  She’s a tough kid raised by a single mom.  Spanish is her first language, but she is fluent in English.  She is Impala’s love interest.

MRS. MATA

A 40ish middle-class Mexican American woman, with perfect French-cut nails, and a raise-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps attitude.  Perfectly bilingual.  She runs her shop with no-nonsense leadership, always decked out in high heels and Oscar de la Renta. She and Impala do not get along. 

MR. MATA

He started the Mata Shop with his wife, Ana, to whom he is devoted.  He is also 40ish, Mexican American, with salt-and-pepper hair and an easy-going manner. He loves to tease Impala, and and the two of them have a very close, loving relationship.

TIA KIKA

Mrs. Mata’s sister is a single Mexican woman, in her mid-40’s, with an uncompromising entrepreneurial spirit.  Bleached blond, small-time smuggler of items under $100 across the Juarez International Bridge.  Spanish is her dominant language, but she is fluent in English.

CARLOS

Nineteen-years old, Chicano.  His high cheek bones leave more tread marks on teenage hearts than a new set of tires.  He is Letty’s love interest.

LALO

Ever-faithful employee of the Mata shop, he is a long-haired Chicano rocker in his 20's.  He loves monster trucks and is Impala's rival at the shop and Letty’s competitor at the drags.

MERCEDES

Impala’s little sister is a sweet, tomato cheeked 10-year-old Chicana.  She loves Impala even though she doesn't always understand her.