Producers have just announced that the pre-Broadway world premiere stage adaptation of Prince’s legendary film and album, Purple Rain will hit the State Theatre stage next fall as part of the Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin season.
The show has also announced that Tony Award Winner Jason Michael Webb will be the production’s Music Supervisor and will also provide musical arrangements and orchestrations for the production; Bobby Z and Morris Hayes, both of whom worked with Prince for years as bandmates and musical collaborators, have joined the production as Music Advisers. Morris Hayes was the keyboardist of Prince’s band, “The New Power Generation,” for nearly two decades and was also Prince’s Musical Director for several years. Bobby Z was the drummer in Prince’s band, “The Revolution,” for nearly a decade and appeared in the film PURPLE RAIN.
Having worked with Prince for years, they will ensure the production holds true to Prince’s vision and continues his legacy. Matching their history and musical contributions with Prince, alongside the creative team already in place, will surely bring magic to the stage.
The stage adaptation, based on the film, PURPLE RAIN, will feature a story by Prince; a book by Tony Award winner and two-time Pulitzer Prize-finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins who just won a 2024 Tony Award (author) for Appropriate, Best Revival of a Play. PURPLE RAIN is based on the original screenplay by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn; music and lyrics by Prince; and direction by Tony Award-nominee Lileana Blain-Cruz.