‘Purple Rain’ Stage Musical to Debut in Prince’s Hometown of Minneapolis

Brent Lang
·2 min read
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A stage adaptation of “Purple Rain” will have its world premiere in Minneapolis. The location makes sense because Prince, the musical superstar behind the cult classic film and mega-selling album, was born in the city and made it his home.

The show is looking to have its big unveiling in spring of 2025, producer Orin Wolf said in a press release. The musical will be staged at Hennepin Theatre Trust’s historic State Theatre in Minneapolis as part of its 2024-2025 season. Production dates and additional details will be announced in the coming weeks. The producers hope to eventually take the show to Broadway.

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“Prince talked about adapting ‘Purple Rain’ for the stage for years. It’s only fitting that we launch this world premiere musical version in the city where it all began, Prince’s hometown, Minneapolis,” said L. Londell McMillan, former Prince manager, attorney and chairman of The NorthStar Group, and Larry Mestel, founder and CEO of Primary Wave Music. “We’re very excited for the creative team to be inspired by the Minneapolis sound and the unparalleled and unique spirit of the city that Prince inspired.”

As previously announced, this stage adaptation will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize-finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, adapted from the original screenplay by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn. Music and lyrics are courtesy of Prince with direction by Tony Award-nominee Lileana Blain-Cruz.

Released in 1984 by Warner Bros., “Purple Rain” marked Prince’s film debut. He’d go on to appear in movies like “Graffiti Bridge” and “Under the Cherry Moon,” but those films didn’t match the success of “Purple Rain,” which grossed nearly $100 million worldwide. The “Purple Rain” soundtrack album received two Grammys, three American Music Awards, two Brit Awards and an Academy Award for best original song score. The album remained at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for 24 weeks.

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