Theater producer Orin Wolf, known for previous successful movie adaptations like The Band’s Visit to the Stage and Buena Vista Social Club, revealed on Monday that he would be adapting Prince’s 1984 film and album. Directing the musical will be the Tony-award-winning theater director Lileana Blain-Cruz.
L. Londell McMillan and Larry Mestel, founder and CEO of Primary Wave Music and owners of a significant amount of Prince’s estate, shared a statement expressing their excitement at the new theatrical venture. The two men hope that this will bring in audiences new and old to experience this new take on the original film.
“…We are thrilled with our Broadway partners and creative team, who are bringing a theatricality to the film’s original fictional story. We can’t wait for a new generation to discover Purple Rain and for lovers of the original film and album to experience its power once again, this time live,” wrote McMillan and Mestel.
The original film, Purple Rain follows the story of The Kid, an up-and-coming rock musician played by Prince, as he enters the Minneapolis club scene. Following its debut, the movie earned $100 million worldwide and shot Prince into stardom, due to its Oscar-winning soundtrack essentially being Prince’s sixth album.
Additionally, a book will be made alongside the musical by the Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. According to the press release the book will be based on the film’s original screenplay by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn.
Fans can expect to hear iconic Oscar-winning tracks such as When Doves Cry and I Would Die 4 U. Other information, including the musical’s launch date is still to be determined.
