After what was widely regarded as a clunky start in Minneapolis, "Purple Rain" the musical is officially headed to Broadway.
The show is getting a new director and a new look for its 2027 debut. Opening night is set for April 12 at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre.
The Broadway announcement coincides with the 42nd anniversary of the Prince movie-musical Purple Rain's film release, which hit the silver screen on this date in 1984.
They describe the show like this:
"Minneapolis, 1984. A new era of music television is creating overnight stars. A magnetic young performer known as “The Kid” seems like the perfect frontman to lead his bandmates to stardom. But when his past threatens everything he’s built, he’ll have to sing his way out of the darkness and into the spotlight where he belongs."
The show was the first major Broadway-style production to get an opening in Minneapolis since "The Lion King" in 1997.
While it's not unusual for shows to tweak things in an initial run, there were numerous changes for "Purple Rain" during it's run in Minneapolis last fall. Loosely based on the "Purple Rain" film, the show kept the heart of the story, but also brought some updates to the cult classic.
Fan reviews on social media during previews were very mixed, with the show working out a lot of kinks, workshopping different elements, and trying to get the show honed down to what the audience saw an official opening on November 5. What had been nearly four hours ended up closer to two and a half hours by the premier.
It's probably not "Broadway ready," according to what most observers saw initially, but as was proven, there was time for that to be worked out.
The show certainly kept the Minneapolis feel, where Prince grew up and where the fictional story is set both on the stage and in the film.
You can sign up for early ticket access here.
Prince died unexpectedly in his Chanhassen, Minnesota home and studio in 2016 at the age of 57.
