‘Purple Rain’ musical is officially Broadway bound with a new name, creative team
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Broadway is getting ready to “go crazy”— producers announced Monday the stage adaptation of “Purple Rain” is headed to Broadway in spring 2027.
Based on the 1984 film that made Prince a household name, the musical version of “Purple Rain” has been in development for years. A previous version of the show had its world premiere last fall at the State Theatre, in Prince’s hometown of Minneapolis — with the intention of a future run on the Great White Way. It received mixed reviews.
In 2025, producer Orin Wolf spoke to MPR News about adapting the show for the stage for both Prince’s fans, and those being introduced to his music for the first time.
“I’m trying to create a show that has entry points,” Wolf said about the show’s Minneapolis run. “That’s the job of a commercial producer — I have to try to cast as wide a net as possible.”
For its Broadway run, it’s being rebranded as “Prince’s Purple Rain.” The creative team has also been overhauled: original director Lileana Blain-Cruz and book writer Branden Jacobs-Jenkins have been replaced by Tony-nominated director Saheem Ali and Peter Duchan — best known for writing the script for the musical “Dogfight.”
Choreographer Ebony Williams and music supervisor Jason Michael Webb will stay in their roles for the Broadway production, and Prince collaborators Bobby Z and Morris Hayes continue to serve as music advisors.
“Prince’s Purple Rain” is set to begin previews in March 2027 at the Majestic Theatre — which once housed the long running hit “Phantom of the Opera.”
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