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After years in development, the stage adaptation of “Purple Rain” is finally making its debut in Minneapolis, where the story — and the music — first took shape.

Inspired by Prince’s 1984 classic, “Purple Rain” tracks a young Minneapolis musician chasing stardom while wrestling with love, rivalry and the echoes of his past.

“I’ve worked on this for five years,” Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins said. “This is our first chance to really see how it affects people.” 

Though “Purple Rain” officially opens Nov. 5, audiences can get an early look when previews begin Oct. 16. These performances are fully staged but still part of the creative process, giving the production team a chance to fine-tune technical cues, tighten scenes and even rework parts of the script before opening night.

“I literally have been involved in shows that, over the course of previews, have completely been rewritten and changed,” Jacobs-Jenkins said.  

The Minneapolis premiere of “Purple Rain” doubles as a pre-Broadway tryout — a crucial step for major productions bound for New York. Before a show hits the big stage, it often tests its material in another city, gauging audience reaction and fine-tuning every beat, much like an extended preview.

Minneapolis has hosted other tryouts, such as Disney’s “The Lion King” in 1997. 

It’s hard to imagine a more fitting backdrop. “Purple Rain” opens at the State Theatre, just a short walk from First Avenue, the iconic club where the story unfolds.

“Prince has shown up in unconventional ways through our process,” said the show’s music supervisor, Jason Michael Webb, who oversees orchestrating Prince’s music for the musical. 

He recalled a walk down a hallway in Minneapolis, where he saw photos and albums of Prince.  

“I really take it as a divine sign,” Webb said.

“Purple Rain” begins previews Oct. 16 at the State Theatre,

 and officially opens on Nov. 5. The production runs through Nov. 23.

Use the audio player above to listen to a conversation between MPR News arts reporter Jacob Aloi and Minnesota Now host Nina Moini on this story.

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Prince: His life and music

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Prince’s hometown takes center stage as Minneapolis hosts the world premiere of “Purple Rain,” a new stage adaptation of the 1984 film that will serve as both a local homecoming and a pre-Broadway launch.

Live, down to earth, unscripted interviews that aim to connect, inform and entertain. Real people share real stories with Nina Moini. It’s journalism that doesn’t take itself too seriously and puts people first.

The musical ‘Purple Rain’ begins preview performances Oct. 16. Here’s what you need to know

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