Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ is being turned into Broadway musical

Prince’s “Purple Rain” turns 40 this year. And the 1984 film, which won an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and included chart-topping hits from Prince’s album of the same name, is now headed to Broadway.

The rights to Prince’s music belong to Primary Wave Management and the star’s half-siblings in partnership with advisors from NorthStar Group. They announced on Jan. 8 that the iconic ’80s movie will be adapted into a Broadway musical.

“It’s the year of #PurpleRain40, and what better way to celebrate than bringing it to the Broadway stage?” Prince’s official social media accounts shared.

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“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,” said NorthStar Group Chairman L. Londell McMillan and Primary Wave Music Founder and CEO Larry Mestel in a joint statement. “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.”

MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant winner and Pulitzer finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins will be writing the book for the musical. It will be directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, the resident director of Lincoln Center Theater, and produced by Broadway heavyweight Orin Wolf.

No casting or timeline details have been released.

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The original “Purple Rain” album is the most well-known and critically acclaimed of his studio albums (of which there are around 40), and the one that many believe turned him into a major star. It was recorded with his band The Revolution and included some of Prince’s biggest hits, “When Doves Cry,” “Purple Rain,” “I Would Die 4 U” and “Let’s Go Crazy.”

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The movie of the same name was semi-autobiographical. It followed a musician and singer named The Kid and his band, The Revolution, as they tried to become famous. The Kid has a tumultuous romance with a fellow singer and must beat back a rival musician. Prince, who died in 2016 from an accidental fentanyl overdose, had never acted before the movie, which was a commercial success when it came out despite mixed critical feedback.

Are you excited about the prospect of it raining purple on the Great White Way? If so, you can get on the Purple Rain mailing list to find out more details as they are revealed.