CHELSEA, MI – A new world premiere comedy by Jeff Daniels at the Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea always creates excitement. “The Meaning of Almost Everything,” his 15th play, is something completely different from what we have seen before.

There is no intermission. There is a minimal set with no furniture. The few props mostly come from audience members. There are only two characters: A and B. One character wants to stay. One character wants to go.

But lest you think nothing good can come with these limitations, the clever, sometimes rapid-fire dialogue delivered by the actors with incredible precision and physicalization is completely mesmerizing.

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Thanks to Casey for sending these over to me – awesome photos of Jeff Daniels and Adina Porter at the HBO Golden Globes Luxury Gift Lounge.

Some new cast photos from today’s Golden Globes Gift Suite are in the gallery.

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Drama Series

Steve Buscemi / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson – “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
Bryan Cranston / Walter White – “Breaking Bad” (AMC)
Jeff Daniels / Will Mcavoy – “The Newsroom” (HBO)
Jon Hamm / Don Draper – “mad Men” (AMC)
Damian Lewis / Nicholas Brody – “Homeland” (Showtime)

A new play by Hollywood actor Jeff Daniels will premiere at the Purple Rose Theatre (PRTC) in Chelsea beginning Jan. 10, 2013.

The world premiere of The Meaning of Almost Everything will enjoy a nine-week engagement through March 9.

The 15th play penned by PRTC founder Jeff Daniels, The Meaning of Almost Everything is one of Daniels’ most personal, and yet, most whimsical shows to date. With elements of slapstick, vaudeville, tragedy and farce, this exuberant romp of a play explores the pain and the joy of human existence.

The story follows two men, “A” and “B,” who exist in an undefined place and time, a place of safety and comfort, but also a place where nothing happens. One man wants to remain. The other isn’t so sure. Through their feats of daring (and sometimes cowardice), they stumble through the darkness to find the big answers to life’s big questions.

When asked about the impetus for the play, Daniels explains, “I’ve never been one to think whatever may come after this life will be better. One can always hope and pray and believe, sure, but given the choice between the known and the unknown, frankly, it seems a lot of us would rather just stay put, thank you very much.”

That’s the “What if?” that drove the storyline of the play, Daniels said.

“How do we turn this life of ours into an everlasting one? Forget leaving a legacy or living on in other people’s memories, I mean staying put. Right here, right now, forever and ever. That it doesn’t work that way is the conflict in the play. And in us,” Daniels said.

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The Purple Rose Theatre Company in Chelsea has added an 8 p.m. performance Dec. 26 to its “Jeff Daniels: On-stage & Unplugged” series.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer one more performance of this highly-anticipated show,” said managing director Julie Brunzell in a news release.

“In two days, after general ticket sales began, we had sold out nearly all the performances, so it’s great to give more people an opportunity to see Jeff in concert.”

All proceeds from Onstage & Unplugged ticket sales support the PRTC’s general operations.

All performances will be held at the theater’s location at 137 Park St. in Chelsea.

A special New Year’s Eve event will begin at the Village Conference Center and will include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, magic with Stuart MacDonald, a sneak-preview performance of Daniels’ original play “The Meaning of Almost Everything,” followed by dinner and transportation to the theater for the final performance of “Unplugged.”

Tickets for the New Year’s Eve Party are $250, a portion of which is tax-deductible. New Year’s Eve Party tickets may be reserved by contacting the PRTC Development Department at 433-7782 ext.15, or by emailing ReachUs@PurpleRoseTheatre.org.

Tickets for other performances of “Onstage & Unplugged” cost $75 and take place at 8 p.m. Dec. 26 through 28 and at 3 p.m. Dec. 29 and 31.

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