'57 Chevy at The Los Angeles Theatre Center

Ric Salinas of the ground-breaking comedy troupe Culture Clash, stars in a solo performance in Emmy® -winning writer Cris Franco's memoir of being a "double immigrant": Moving from Mexico to South Central Los Angeles, then from South Central to the San Fernando Valley----so different, it could be on another planet. Cris' Dad comes from Mexico to the U.S.A. legally---as a skilled mechanic who can repair any car, especially German cars like Volkswagens. He saves his money and pays cash for an immaculate '57 Chevrolet: a thing of beauty, a work of art, a masterpiece of engineering. More than that, it is a symbol: A symbol of American excellence, a symbol of the hope for a better future, enhanced by a boundless optimism. On a vacation from his job, Dad drives to Mexico and collects the rest of the Franco family. Cris spends most of his early childhood in South Central, then a happy wonderland of cultural diversity (from his very young perspective). His father, achieving upward mobility, packs up the clan and moves to the "Same Fernando Valley," where everything and everyone is the same, except for the fact that Cris is the only Mexican boy in his new neighborhood. He's in for a culture shock. '57 Chevy takes the audience for a ride as Cris grows up with his sisters, his friends, his cousins, his Mom, but most especially with his Dad, who teaches his son that "life is work and work is life." It's a large and loving family, and '57 Chevy is filled with fun, warmth, wit and humor, ensuring a feel-good experience for the audience.