The Purple Rose Theatre Company just announced a five-week extension of Jeff Daniels’ world premiere play "Escanaba."

Originally scheduled to close on December 19, "Escanaba" will now run until January 23, 2010. Performances for the remainder of the engagement will be Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Saturday matinees at 3 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m., with some added performances and a discounted student matinee at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 13. All performances are at the Purple Rose Theatre, 137 Park Street in Chelsea.

"Escanaba" is the final installment of Daniels' Yooper trilogy, which began with "Escanaba in da Moonlight" and "Escanaba in Love." The legend begins in 1922 with Alphonse Soady (Tom Whalen) putting the finishing touches on his newly-constructed deer camp. When wild-eyed James Negamanee (Wayne David Parker) bursts through his door fleeing a black bear, audiences learn the role this strange trespasser plays in time-honored Soady Deer Camp traditions, including the saga of the Soady Ridge Buck.

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.