By Crystal Hayduk
“The Classic King,” a comedy now playing at the Purple Rose Theatre Company (PRTC), is about the owner of a used car dealership and his two salesmen who are trying to earn a living doing what they love in a changing industry. The trusting customers of yesteryear seeking to purchase a reliable vehicle have become research-savvy cynics.
But their dated business plan is no longer successful in the modern world. With the bank’s deadline looming, the owner hires an energetic young salesman who brainstorms a way to save the business and the veteran salesmen from losing everything.
In his program notes, Director Jeff Daniels said that playwright Richard Johnson knows cars and is fluent in the language of those who sell them. Johnson wrote about the automotive industry for 35 years. He is the retired print editor of Crain Communications’ Automotive News, the leading newspaper of the global automobile industry, and has lived and worked in Frankfort, Tokyo, and London.
A world premiere, “The Classic King” is Johnson’s first play for PRTC.
Daniels wrote, “I cannot tell you what a joy it’s been to watch Rick write a story only he could tell. Shaping, refining, and discovering until, in the end, he pulled into that place every playwright hopes to find, that feeling of accomplishment that comes when you realize you’ve just created something from nothing.”
Set and property designers (Bart Bauer and Danna Segrest respectively) spared nothing in creating a retro car dealership office. With wood-paneled walls decorated with license plates, auto manufacturers’ corporate signs, and salesman photos; desks; and the manager’s glass-walled private office; it felt like going back in time. Like any good dealership, customers had access to coffee, a snack vending machine, and a restroom (while waiting for the ubiquitous “I need to talk to my manager” delay).
Audience members of a certain age will recall the radio advertisement clips played before the show, which added to the vintage atmosphere. Brad Phillips, sound designer, included occasional street atmosphere throughout the performance. This added to feeling as if we were there shopping for a car in Metro Detroit.
Fan favorite Ryan Carlson and PRTC Resident Artist played Jerry, a man with auto sales in his blood. Starlight Classic Cars is his passion as he was raised there by his father who was also a salesman. He believes in building relationships with customers, not just selling them cars. Carlson’s performance as THE Classic King—both heartwarming and comedic—sold the audience, plaid sports jacket and all.
Dez Walker, in his third PRTC production, played the aptly named Chance. As luck or fate would have it, Walker has spent nearly 10 years performing in many automotive-themed commercials, and it shows on stage, especially in his version of an ad for Starlight. His onstage banter with his coworker and boss got a ton of laughs from the audience. Walker perfectly portrayed a man who has been given a second chance. Will he get a third?
Mike, played by Rico Bruce Wade, owns Starlight Classic Cars. Wade is a first-time actor at PRTC, but seasoned in comedy, film, and theater. He was a delight to watch in this role as he portrayed his character’s flow between funny and serious. The potential of a failing business with employees losing their jobs fell on his character. His compelling performance built an empathetic connection with the audience.
Owen Squire Smith, another newcomer to the PRTC stage, played Braden. He was Mike’s last-ditch effort to bring a youthful energy to the sales floor. Although all the characters in the play were archetypes, perhaps none exemplified his type better than Smith’s self-confident, organized post-millennial whose tech awareness and personal drive predict success.
“The Classic King” is a comedy for this time. It felt great to sit among a group of people who want to be entertained, to laugh for 90 minutes and to feel sorry when the show ended. (That’s a hint to Johnson to please write more.) Since my husband and I even laughed at ourselves as customer types the salesmen talked about, I must imagine others were laughing at themselves, too.
As laughter has a way of doing, the performance also made me think: about the pre-loved car I bought in late 2024, and the used cars we’ve haggled to buy over the years. With a memorable glimpse of the other side of the auto dealer’s desk, I know my next car purchase will look a bit different. Maybe I’ll even be laughing despite the pain of the price.
Content advisory: This production contains adult content and may not be suitable for children under 13.
“The Classic King”
What: World premiere by Richard Johnson; performance runs with no intermission.
When: Now playing through March 15
Where: The Purple Rose Theatre Company, 137 Park St., Chelsea
Playwright: Richard Johnson
Director: Jeff Daniels
Cast: Ryan Carlson, Rico Bruce Wade, Dez Walker, and Owen Squire Smith
Designers: Set by Bart Bauer, properties by Danna Segrest, costumes by Shelby Newport, lighting by Stephen Sakowski, and sound by Brad Phillips.
Production staff: Stage manager – Stefanie Din, assisted by Mary Toth; fight director – Christina Traister; managing director – Katie Hubbard
Tickets: Available online at The Purple Rose Theatre Company or by calling the box office at 734-433-7673.
About the Purple Rose Theatre Company:
Founded in 1991 by actor, director, playwright, musician, and Chelsea native Jeff Daniels, The Purple Rose Theatre Company is a professional, unionized theatre and creative home for local Michigan artists to produce original American plays. At the PRTC, patrons experience an intimate encounter with live theatre.
Continuing this season, The Purple Rose is leading with smart comedy: plays that allow audiences to feel good, laugh, and just maybe get a message out of it, too.
