The Prince of Pennsylvania

Rupert Marshetta is the black sheep son of a miner, precocious and misunderstood. He resents his parents, has dropped out of high school, and doesn't fit in with the other teens. He is in love with Carla and schemes to kidnap his father to obtain money so he can escape the town.

Gary Marshetta is Rupert's father, a hard-edged miner who proclaims himself king of Pennsylvania and cherishes land inherited from his father. He resists selling the land and maintains control over his family. His plan to keep the land and his authority shapes his actions, and he reconciles with Pam after the kidnapping plot falls apart.

Pam Marshetta is Gary's wife and Rupert's mother, drawn to the town's drama and a life beyond it. She has an affair with Jack Sike and agrees to Rupert's kidnapping plan to secure a share of the ransom so she and Jack can run away. In the end, she reconciles with Gary and pursues a fresh start.

Carla is free-spirited and runs a rundown roadside ice cream kiosk, forming a relationship with Rupert. She has a young daughter with her ex-boyfriend Joe, a state trooper, and the couple plans to escape with the ransom money. Though presumed dead after the mine blast, she survives and leaves with Joe for Sacramento.

Tommy Rutherford is a town figure whose exact role is not detailed in the summary; he appears as part of the local network involved in Rupert’s world.

Tommy Rutherford (portrayed by Dan Monahan) represents another depiction of the same town figure, with the summary not specifying distinct actions.

David Early's Deputy represents law enforcement during the crisis, assisting in managing the kidnapping situation and coordinating with mine rescue workers during the explosive risk.

Jack Sike is a young miner who has an affair with Pam and is the husband of Lois Sike, as well as the father of their newborn. He is drawn into the town's drama while maintaining his own family ties.

Lois Sike is the wife of Jack Sike; the summary mentions her as part of the Sike family but does not detail her role in the plot beyond the context of Jack's affair.

Roger Marshetta is Gary's father and the original landowner who left the land to the family, shaping their fortunes and conflicts within the mining town.

Chester is a town resident whose specific role isn’t detailed in the summary but appears as part of the community backdrop.