The creative minds behind Purple Rain the Musical are sharing new details about the show ahead of it's pre-Broadway release in Minneapolis.
The stage adaptation of Prince’s legendary film and album, Purple Rain is based on the original screenplay by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn, and features a book by Tony Award winner and Pulitzer Prize winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, music and lyrics by Prince. Longtime Prince collaborators Bobby Z and Morris Hayes join the award-winning creative team as Prince Music Advisors.
Tony Award-nominee and Director Lileana Blain-Cruz says Purple Rain audiences can expect a "bold, modern vision" for the production, which will grace the stage first in Prince's beloved hometown.
She says while the show honors Prince's legacy, it also incorporates a broader range of his discography and fresh story elements.
"The album has nine songs, you know, like a musical has more than that," Blain-Cruz explains. "And so, I think there's going to be surprise about how those songs kind of get recontextualized, but then also the other music that gets interwoven inside the piece is going to be, I think, really thrilling."
The show begins its run at the State Theatre this week, with the promise of a 'thrilling' homage to the late, great Prince who died suddenly in his Chanhassen home and studio, Paisley Park, in 2016.
Writer Jacobs-Jenkins says the production will be expanding on the iconic 1984 film in some unique ways.
"We decided to crack open the Apollonia character in a way that I think is going to surprise people who are familiar with the movie," Jacobs-Jenkis explains. "And it was a risk, and we've been scared every time we had to do anything, like release who the actor was, or share pieces of it. But I think it's paying off."
Preview shows begin this Thursday. The shows producers have already added another week of performances due to "extraordinary audience demand" in Minneapolis as well.
You can still find limited tickets here.