New Book Celebrating 25 Years of Jeff Daniels' Purple Rose Theatre Company Out Today

THE PURPLE ROSE OF CHELSEA, a book celebrating 25 years of Jeff Daniels' Purple Rose Theatre Company (PRTC), will be released today, December 15.

Written by Cynthia Furlong Reynolds, the 160-page hardcover book is a collection of photographs, anecdotes and facts about Daniels and his determination to open a professional theatre in Chelsea, Michigan. It captures the people, the passion and the plays that have powered the Purple Rose for 25 years.

"We were flying by the seat of our pants," says Daniels describing the early days of the PRTC. "This crazy idea didn't make any business sense whatsoever, but I wouldn't do it anywhere else. We launched this theater on blind faith. I thought I had enough fame to get audiences to come once. Then we'd get 'em with the quality of what we were doing."

It worked. Over 25 years the PRTC has staged 97 productions, including 55 world premieres and 19 Midwest or Michigan premieres.

THE PURPLE ROSE OF CHELSEA chronicles the productions and the people and shares the dream that began in 1989 when Daniels left New York City and moved his family back to their Michigan hometown. He commuted for projects, but soon felt creatively bored. He and his wife Kathleen discussed the possibility of starting a local theater company modeled after the acclaimed Circle Repertory Company of New York where Daniels had trained.

While scouting locations in Chelsea, Daniels walked into a dilapidated bus repair garage, formerly used by his grandfather, a Buick dealer, to store cars. He bought it. The first Purple Rose Theatre Board of Directors convened on the construction site around a door plopped on two sawhorses to form a makeshift table. Neither the location nor the finances seemed auspicious to anyone but the actor turned dreamer.

"I want live theater to continue to have a place at the table many, many years from now," says Daniels. THE PURPLE ROSE OF CHELSEA reminds us why.

Pre-sale of THE PURPLE ROSE OF CHELSEA begins November 30 through www.PurpleRoseTheatre.org and will be available for delivery before the holidays. It goes on sale December 15 at Amazon.com, Serendipity Books in Chelsea, Just Imagine Bookstore in Chelsea, the Purple Rose Theatre lobby and by calling (734) 433-7673. The book is $35.

On Saturday, December 19, a book signing with author Cynthia Furlong Reynolds and various Purple Rose Theatre actors and staff will take place from 2-4 p.m. at Serendipity Books, 113 W Middle St, Chelsea, and from 4:30-8 p.m. at the Purple Rose Theatre lobby at 137 Park St., Chelsea.

THE PURPLE ROSE OF CHELSEA was designed by Marty Somberg at Soaring Creative, printed by ULitho of Ann Arbor and supported through the generous contributions of theatre donors.

Founded in 1991 by actor, playwright, musician and Chelsea native Jeff Daniels, the Purple Rose Theatre Company is a creative home for original American plays. In the 168-seat theatre patrons experience an intimate encounter with live professional theatre.

The PRTC also provides an apprenticeship program, performance classes, readings, lectures and tours. It commissions new work from established and early-career playwrights. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit professional theatre, the PRTC operates under a Small Professional Theatre agreement with the Actors' Equity Association. For more information, visit www.purplerosetheatre.org.

About the Author: Ann Arbor resident Cynthia Furlong Reynolds is an author, journalist and educator. Two of her books, "Our Hometown: America's History as seen through the eyes of a Midwestern Village" and "JIFFY: A Family Tradition" won Michigan Notable Book Awards.

As a journalist, Reynolds worked for the Portland Times, St. Petersburg Times, and Omaha World Herald, as well as for Princeton University, the University of Tampa, and Creighton University.

A graduate of the College of William & Mary and the Stonecoast Master in Fine Arts degree program in creative writing, she works in schools as an author-in-residence, teaches writing in college classrooms and workshops, and volunteers with the Michigan Council for the humanities in its Prime Time literacy program for at-risk families.