There is a searing urgency to the lyrical poetry and luscious prose of playwright Octavio Solis. In his Berkeley Repertory Theatre debut production of Mother Road, each character has a mission to “dale gas,” a Spanish phrase that urges a firm pedal to the metal.

Despite some storytelling that veers into quizzical directions, it’s that very urgency that provides Mother Road with its sharpest moments, informed by one of literature’s most decorated novels.

John Steinbeck’s Pultizer- and Nobel-winning The Grapes of Wrath provides the texture for this modern sequel, borne of Solis’ grand imagination and brought to the stage via David Mendizábal’s sharp direction. The 1939 novel’s flawed yet virtuous hero Tom Joad is heavily present in Mother Road, as his bloodline runs deep inside his descendant, Martín Jodes (Emilio Garcia-Sanchez).

Cher Álvarez (Amelia), James Carpenter (William Joad), and Emilio Garcia-Sanchez (Martín Jodes) in ‘Mother Road,’ by Octavio Solis, at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)

Martín doesn’t have much going for himself in California. He struggles to make ends meet as a migrant farmworker, moving from crop to crop. A marriage engagement to Amelia (Cher Álvarez) has gone kaput. So when a man named William Joad (James Carpenter) arrives with a mysterious proposition to bequeath 2,000 acres of Oklahoma land to Joad descendant Martín, the young man joins his older relative in a return trip to Oklahoma on Route 66, which Steinbeck dubbed “The Mother Road.”

That legendary stretch of highway, which held so much peril for the Joad clan, offered the false and cruel hopes of a California where golden crops and crisp bills grew everywhere. While the Dust Bowl caused tenant farmers to flee Oklahoma in the 1930s due to economic hardship, drought and agricultural shifts, Martín, despite seeing the state as less than desirable, sees it giving his fortunes a massive boost.

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That boost is not just reserved to these two road-trip compatriots, with Martín hopeful and William battling life-threatening health issues. The newfound power of Martín means hiring his passion-fueled cousin Mo (Lindsay Rico), who provides a burst of energy essential to any good road trip story.

Daniel Duque-Estrada (Abelardo), Lindsay Rico (Mo), and Emilio Garcia-Sanchez (Martín Jodes) in ‘Mother Road,’ by Octavio Solis, at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)

Joyous moments come as the trio barrels down Route 66 in their beat-up pickup truck. (The truck itself is one of the stars of the show, with many bells and whistles — even a restaurant complete with neon sign, inside the vehicle — designed by Tanya Orellana.) Yet the road is still filled with the dangers of modern society, especially when a brown man and queer brown woman are riding in a sketchy vehicle through unwelcoming locales.

Anyone who loves The Grapes of Wrath will be pleased to engage in this adaptation. Several Easter eggs recall the harrowing nature of the Joad family. As in the novel, the dream of acquiring land and the role of protectors expanding in this modern universe is ever-present. There is a luscious excitement in connecting the brutal parallels of Tom and Martín, with each tasked to deliver critical oration that punctuates the story. (Sound by Jake Rodriguez and original music by Ritmos Tropicosmos provide scintillating texture.)

What Garcia-Sanchez’s performance lacks in variety is made up for by his brooding intensity. Paired with Carpenter, a veteran of the highest order, their chemistry can sometimes be hit-or-miss. They craft a bond that isn’t always fluid, but their willingness to engage and share each of their character’s vulnerabilities pushes the story toward a satisfying, powerful denouement.

Michael Moreland Milligan (Roger), Benny Wayne Sully (Curtis), Emilio Garcia-Sanchez (Martín Jodes), Courtney Walsh (Ivy), and Branden Davon Lindsay (James) in ‘Mother Road,’ by Octavio Solis, at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)

The multiple characterizations of the cast are highlighted beautifully by Álvarez, who lets her various characters breathe inside some powerful discoveries. Solis emphasizes multiple stylings and humor in his narrative; one of the most effective moments comes when Álvarez delivers some critical words in Spanish. Rico’s Mo offers up laughs in some nice setups, while in one embattled moment, her range powerfully comes into play.

While Mother Road could use a bit of trimming to tighten its narrative, the story still has a gripping power, coming from some of the greatest source material in literature. Solis handles his inspiration from Steinbeck with aplomb, and Mother Road accentuates one devastating fact consistently: In a world that has always offered more danger than respite to its most marginalized, sometimes the best thing to do is hit the pavement hard and “dale gas,” no matter what.

‘Mother Road’ runs through Sunday, July 21 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Details here.

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A Bumpy Return Trip to Oklahoma for Tom Joad’s Descendants