A new stage adaptation of Prince's 1984 Oscar-winning film, Purple Rain, is headed to Broadway.
The stage version of Albert Magnoli and William Blinn's screenplay is being written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, who is behind the current Broadway triumph, Appropriate. The musical will be directed by Tony-nominated Lileana Blain-Cruz, best known for her work on The Skin of Our Teeth.
“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,” L. Londell McMillan, chairman of The NorthStar Group, and Larry Mestel, founder and CEO of Primary Wave Music said in a 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.”
Purple Rain was an unexpected box office hit in 1984, grossing more than $70 million against a $7 million budget. The late Prince starred in the semi-autobiographical film, which told the story of The Kid, a struggling musician trying to rise up through the music industry and find success amidst the Minneapolis scene.
Prince took home the Academy Award for Original Song Score, which featured the #1 hits "When Doves Cry" and "Let's Go Crazy."