Per Variety....

Forty years after “Purple Rain” topped the box office, winning an Oscar for its iconic soundtrack and solidifying Prince‘s status as the high priest of pop, a new stage adaptation of the film classic is in the works.

Based on the original screenplay by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn, the stage version will feature a book by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist who is currently taking Broadway by storm with the critically-heralded “Appropriate.” Lileana Blain-Cruz, a Tony Award nominee who recently oversaw Lincoln Center’s acclaimed revival of “The Skin of Our Teeth,” will direct the show.

Additional production details and timing will be announced in the coming months, the show’s producers said.

“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,” said L. Londell McMillan, chairman of The NorthStar Group, and Larry Mestel, founder and CEO of Primary Wave Music. “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.”

More behind the link.

Can't wait to hear all the naysayers chime in about what they think Prince would want or not, how the lead actor doesn't look like Prince, how this never happened, how that button was never on his jacket, or whatever. (queue the eye roll).

This is interesting. Never expected a Broadway play based on the film.

blacknote said:

This is interesting. Never expected a Broadway play based on the film.

I sorta did, but I wasn't overly hopeful. It's been done before.

I should note that I believe Purple Rain is probably a simplier way to do something about Prince's music. A typical Carole King, Tina Turner, MJ-esque jukebox musical is just so vast to consider, that the movie becomes the baseline narrative. Parts can be expanded upon for time and story, and more music. I can also see them having audience participation during "I Would Die 4 U" and "Baby I'm A Star" at the end, the way they did with Tina Turner's musical. It was more interactive, and the audience was allowed to take videos and photo during that end segment. (It could have been the same with Back To The Future, because there is so much ending fan footage on YouTube.

I hope they get a no-name or unknown person to play him. I don't know why folks go to Bruno Mars straight away. The guy is Hawaiian, and frankly doesn't look that much like him anyway. It's not cosplay or a lookalike contest - he doesn't have to look exactly like Prince to play the role. It'll be an interesting journey.

Yeah!!!

Fuck the 2nd Deluxe Edition, WE NEED THIS!!!!!!!

What will they change the masturbating lyric to? "Educating with a magazine" ??

Some of these Broadway musicals are absolutely INCREDIBLE.

If they put the time and money into the story and production and casting like they have done for others like The Color Purple, Chicago, Kinky Boots, Ms. Doubtfire, Newsies, Jersey Boys, Miss Saigon, and countless others, it could be incredible, and run for a decade plus.

There is no doubt in my mind that the story and music are there to be expanded upon. Just off the top of the head, they could do some story about what is happening in his life at the time of Purple Rain while at the same time preparing for and working on the movie. So, you're pretty much incorporating the whole movie but providing insight into his blossoming superstardom. (Seems like the perfect time to get Susan Rogers and Tudahl as advisors.)

Another idea: go from childhood to Purple Rain as the climax.

Anyway, my money is ready. Somebody get this done -- right.

was only a matter of time until prince had this....

so many musicals based on other musicians, tina turner, MJ, motown artists, etc, surprised it took this long until prince had the same treatment

im cautiously interested

though idk if i want it to be just a stage version of the film

id prefer they did something a bit different with it.

it's about time for many years,I have wondered why they didn't consider this.It's an interesting idea and if they do it right,this could be a very successful,long-running project.

Suddenly,the Purple Rain 40th Anniversary SDE now makes alot of sense.Make it happen!

they should do it with someone wearing the eye mask the whole time

then we dont have to worry about the actor looking like prince or not

make him a pirate lol

will feature a book by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist

according to deadline, they write that:

Jacobs-Jenkins’ book will be based on the original screenplay by Albert Magnoli (who also directed the film) and William Blinn.

wonder what the book will be.

[Edited 1/8/24 11:45am]

pdiddy2011 said:

There is no doubt in my mind that the story and music are there to be expanded upon. Just off the top of the head, they could do some story about what is happening in his life at the time of Purple Rain while at the same time preparing for and working on the movie. So, you're pretty much incorporating the whole movie but providing insight into his blossoming superstardom. (Seems like the perfect time to get Susan Rogers and Tudahl as advisors.)

Another idea: go from childhood to Purple Rain as the climax.

yeah,great idea.They could flesh out the story a little more.

ok.

i'm gonna say it,

this is superagist.

no old fan would enjoy this.

IMHO.

[Edited 1/8/24 12:39pm]

[Edited 1/8/24 12:40pm]

Well this is the 2024 release then.

Sigh...

https://www.newyorker.com...ns-profile

FrankieCoco1 said:

As a Prince fan, one thing that is frustrating to me is that, everytime I see something about Prince, it´s usually in our ´bubble´ (Prince sites, Instagram pages, etc). While other artists are always being talked about (for example: today is Bowie´s birthday and my Windows search has his face on it).

.

I hope this musical is well done and brings new people to know his music.

There's an article in the New Yorker Magaine describing how the story and characters are being updated for a modern audience.

Here's a link, but it's paywalled:


https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/01/15/branden-jacobs-jenkins-profile

I will probably go see this musical if/when it comes to Minneapolis after its Broadway run. However, I must admit, the addition of "cancel culture" elements into the fabric of the narrative concerns and upsets me. Purple Rain is a product of its time: people (including playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins) should understand and respect this. Applying 2024 moral sensibilities to classic characters, settings, and stories is a disturbing trend that serves to completely erase or ignore historical context rather than facing it, analyzing it, and learning from it. Just my opinion.

nayroo2002 said:

Yeah!!!

Fuck the 2nd Deluxe Edition, WE NEED THIS!!!!!!!

Both things can be active and true. The people compiling SDEs aren't workshopping a musical.

LOSTPASSWORDMAN said:

What will they change the masturbating lyric to? "Educating with a magazine" ??

Don't be obtuse. Just because it's live theatre doesn't mean there's not sexuality or cursing.

Gheezus, have you heard of The Full Monty, Hair, Let My People Come or Calcutta?

There is a real opportunity for this Purple Rain play to actually be something different. If they can capture the spirit of the film: dark, moody, funky, nocturnal. I'd love to see the play be more rock n' roll and edgey than the standart broadway show. Wishful thinking perhaps...

So nice to hear from Primary Wave instead of just McMillan and Spicer, which is usually the case.

skywalker said: