Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ to become a Broadway musical adapted by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
NEW YORK — The forecast predicts that New York City’s prestigious Theater District will be splashed with royal hues when Prince‘s most celebrated work hits Broadway.
The late music icon’s hit 1984 movie, “Purple Rain,” is being adapted into a stage musical written by Pulitzer Prize finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Tony Award nominee Lileana Blain-Cruz.
Jacobs-Jenkins marked his Broadway debut last month with a star-studded revival of the family drama “Appropriate” headlined by Emmy Award winner Sarah Paulson.
Blain-Cruz, who recently helmed Lincoln Center Theater’s production of Candrice Jones’ “Flex,” won acclaim for an all-Black version of Thornton Wilder’s dark comedy “The Skin of Our Teeth” in 2022.
Producers announced plans for the production Monday, citing the upcoming ruby anniversary of the blockbuster film that netted two Grammys, three American Music Awards, two Brit Awards and an Academy Award for best original song score.
“It’s been almost 40 years since Prince’s legendary film ‘Purple Rain’ took the world by storm, and we can’t think of a more fitting tribute than to honor Prince and the ‘Purple Rain’ legacy with this stage adaptation of the beloved story,” Londell McMillan and Lawrence Mestel said in a joint statement.
“We are thrilled with our Broadway partners and creative team, who are bringing a theatricality to the film’s original fictional story. We can’t wait for a new generation to discover ‘Purple Rain’ and for lovers of the original film and album to experience its power once again, this time live.”
McMillan is a Brooklyn-born lawyer and the chairman of the Northstar Group, which works closely with the Prince estate. Mestel is the founder and CEO of Primary Wave Music, a New York City-headquartered entertainment agency that bought a significant stake in the artist’s business in 2021.
“Purple Rain,” directed and co-written by Albert Magnoli, marked the film debut of Prince, who died in 2016 at 57. It tells the story of a Minneapolis-based musician dealing with difficulties at home, musical rivalry and a burgeoning romance.
The theme song has become a pop music staple, performed by an array of artists ranging from Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Etta James and Bruce Springsteen, to three-time Tony Award winner LaChanze, “American Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino and queer South African crooner Craig Lucas, among others.
Casting, venue and production dates for “Purple Rain” have yet to be announced, but the classic pop music juggernaut could fare well on Broadway — already home to the blockbuster biomusical based on the life and times of Michael Jackson, “MJ the Musical.”
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