The popular movie “Purple Rain” by Prince is being adapted into a Broadway musical.
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, is currently receiving high praise for his family drama “Appropriate” featuring Sarah Paulson and Elle Fanning. He will also be bringing the 1984 film to the stage.
The music and words will be created by Prince for the musical, which will be overseen by Lileana Blain-Cruz, a Tony award nominee recognized for her 2022 production of Thornton Wilder’s satirical play, The Skin of Our Teeth.
L Londell McMillan, chairman of The Northstar Group, and Larry Mestel, founder & CEO of Primary Wave Music, expressed their excitement for the stage adaptation of Prince’s iconic film Purple Rain. They believe it is a fitting tribute to honor Prince and his legacy. The Broadway partners and creative team are bringing a theatrical element to the fictional storyline of the original film. They look forward to a new generation discovering the power of Purple Rain and for fans of the film and album to experience it live once again.
The film “Purple Rain” received the Academy Award for Best Original Score and earned nearly $100 million in ticket sales globally. The soundtrack topped the charts in the United States for 24 weeks and sold over 25 million copies. Popular tracks on the album included “When Doves Cry,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” and “I Would Die 4 U.”
The movie follows a musician as he navigates challenges in his personal life, a competitive music scene, and a new love interest. This marked Prince’s first appearance in a feature film.
In 2018, Universal obtained the rights to a collection of songs by Prince for a potential movie musical. It is unknown if the project is still being pursued.
In 2016, Prince passed away after a successful career where he sold more than 100 million records globally.
Broadway will feature musicals this year with soundtracks created by Alicia Keys, Huey Lewis and the News, and The Who.
Source: theguardian.com
