THATS A REAL BAAAD IDEA! UURGGGGH!

LMAO @ the folks who think it's a bad idea. I can almost see you cringe.

I'm not disagreeing with y'all, but please elaborate on why it would be such a bad idea.

Is it simply that y'all are Prince Purists? Like some folk don't even like other artists doing Prince covers.

Or are you fans of theater and think the material would lack substance?

I can't imagine that it's because it would be tainting a "classic". I absolutely love Purple Rain, but at best it's a mediocre, almost-adequately acted movie that just happens to have GREAT music. The same formula could and has work for the Broadway tourist crowd and make Mr. Nelson TONS $$$$.

One thing I could foresee, other than the obvious Prince/Control issues, is whether there's enough story for a stage show. A lot of the movie was just straight forward club stage performances. So all that would probably get tweaked.

It could indeed be disastrous if done wrong.
But I won't lie, I'd still prolly see it.

Perhaps a show put together from his hits? A-la Mamma Mia? Also cheesy!

johnart said:

Johnny, the biggest stumbling block is who in the hell would play The Kid? Who else can scring (combo of scream and sing) The Beautiful Ones like Prince? Who can hump a speaker like he can?

And how are they gonna build a set with Lake Minnetonka? Hmmm? Hmmmmm?!

Sometimes, you just gotta leave well enough alone.

Now...a great musical could be made of what happens in line for a general admission Prince show. I mean...there's enough fodder from the Empire show in Vegas, alone to make a Tony-caliber show. I know - I was in that line!

Genesia said:

As much as we'd like to think He's the only one on earth who can do those things, surely other human beings possess such skills.
I'll give you that it isn't common tho (the only other famous person I can think of that scrings is Steve Tyler). But still, it's Broadway, where a great dark novel like "Wicked" can be turned into a Disney-fied family musical, so I'm sure there's ways to alter some of the vocals. It's not like there hasn't been rock musicals that work (Hedwig).

And LMAO @ building a set with Lake Minnetonka. I think you're being fecicious with that question but I'll answer anyway. If they can land a helicopter on a stage (Miss Saigon) they can fake a lake. And what about suspended disbelief, there doesn't even have to be a lake. You know that Miss Theatre.

johnart said:

"Alter some of the vocals?!"

Genesia said:

Deal with it.
I doubt this would be a show for the die-hards.
It would be for the tourists.

And don't play like you wouldn't go.

Jeebus, John...

With all the success movies-turned-Broadway musicals have had (especially older ones like Xanadu and Footloose, it amazes me (or on second thought...maybe not) "Purple Rain" hasn't been brought to the stage. I'm sure it would be a hit. Prince could include music that was left out of the film or even write a few new numbers for it.

My guess is a few things would stand in the way:
-Prince might have issue watching someone younger and prettier play him.
-Prince would want to direct it...which would almost certainly kill the whole thing.

PositivityNYC said:

Hey! You were at Empire. Great musical fodder, right? Aisle C...Prince, I love yooooouuuuu!...Denny's...

Genesia said:

true.. true....

johnart said:

I see what you're saying but there is something so cheesy about this idea. It makes Prince look washed-up, which he isn't, and it just adds to the idea of Prince being only an 80's act, which isn't the only decade he's been big in.

With that said, it would be a huge play because Purple Rain was such a landmark album & movie. We just need to figure out who'd be playing which character. Plus being a New Yorker, I'd hurry up and go to see the play if there was one. Plus, I'd get a kick out of seeing ads for "Purple Rain: The Musical" on the side of the City Buses everyday.
[Edited 1/26/09 9:57am]

johnart said:

Because I'm a tourist?

purplecam said:

This is exactly the type of thing I'm talking about.
Oh it would most definitely be cheesy. No question.

But cheesy can be fun if folk could not get hung up on his genius for 2 seconds (or 2hrs).

Genesia said:

Not in the land of Cheese. In NYC or Vegas, yes.

and 4 hrs after this thread started....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/a..._jackson_1

Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' planned for the stage
Mon Jan 26, 12:17 pm ET


NEW YORK - "Thriller" a Broadway musical?

Producer James L. Nederlander says he has acquired the rights for a stage version of Jackson's iconic music-video spoof of horror films. The show will include songs from two of the pop king's best-selling albums, "Thriller" and "Off the Wall."

"The Nederlanders and Michael Jackson represent live theater and musical excellence, so let the music begin," Tohme Tohme, a spokesman for Jackson, said Monday in a statement.

"I love the idea of making 'Thriller' a musical. Girl meets boy, they fall in love, boy has big secret, now what?" said Nederlander, head of the company that owns nine Broadway theaters.

No word yet on who will write the book for the show or what songs will be included in the production, or who will direct and choreograph.

johnart said:

I have never worn 89 flowers on my back - anywhere.