Urbanite Theatre’s season-opening production, a regional premiere of Monsters of the American Cinema by Christian St. Croix, may at first blush seem to draw its title from the old horror movies enjoyed by its two characters, teenaged Pup and his stepdad Remy. But it quickly becomes apparent that the monsters in this play aren’t necessarily on the screen, but in the prejudice and intolerance found in real life.

It's no surprise that these two would face the demons of discrimination. Remy (Jon Joseph Gentry), the owner of the drive-in theater where they regularly watch oldies like Creature from the Black Lagoon, is both Black and gay; as we come to learn during the course of the play, he grew up in Alabama with a preacher father who turned on him when he revealed his sexuality.

Pup (Tyler Gevas) is white, as was his biological father, Remy’s husband, a drug user who’s been dead for several years at the start of the play. But he’s dealing with his own mixed feelings about Remy and sexuality. He’s planning on attending his school’s homecoming dance with a Black girl, but at the same time, he’s hanging around with buddies who taunt another male teen for his gayness.

Tensions are bound to come to a boil in the cozy/cramped confines of the RV where the pair live near the drive-in. The question is, will Pup and Remy in the end find a way back to the close father-son relationship they share?

The two actors, under the direction of Summer Wallace, work well together as they shift from joking affection to a more troubled dynamic. And both, especially Gevas, are impressive in terms of their physical prowess, with Gevas scampering up the RV’s ladder to the roof and back down to earth with surety, or struggling through the tortuous nightmares that have plagued him since childhood. He gets lost in them and can’t find his way out without Remy’s help. The monsters exist there, too.

At times, though, in St. Croix’s script, it can be a bit confusing to keep track of time shifts and what stage of life the characters are in. It’s clear enough when Remy reminisces about how he met Pup’s father, or when he first came over to meet his partner’s young son. At other moments, the audience may struggle to be certain of the time framework.

But the emotions here are strong and certain, and the actors are compelling whatever the mood. Jeff Weber’s set design, a believable representation on Urbanite’s small stage of an RV plastered with old movie posters, also succeeds in creating what is, for Remy and Pup, a real home. It’s a place where they can, hopefully, be safe and themselves.

Monsters of the American Cinema continues through Dec. 7 at Urbanite. For tickets, call (941) 321-1397 or visit urbanitetheatre.com.