Prince’s iconic 1984 film and Grammy-winning album Purple Rain
are heading to Broadway in spring 2027. Following an out-of-town run in Minneapolis, the stage adaptation will begin previews on March 12, 2027, and officially open on April 12 at the Majestic Theatre, featuring a revamped creative team and more than 20 of the artist’s legendary hits.
Nearly four decades after the cinematic release that defined an era, the world of The Kid,
rival singers, and high-stakes Minneapolis music club drama is making the leap to Broadway. The stage adaptation of Purple Rain will play Broadway’s Majestic Theatre starting with previews on March 12, 2027, with an official opening night set for April 12.
The production arrives following an out-of-town tryout at the State Theater in Minneapolis during the fall of 2025. That initial run featured a book by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and direction by Lileana Blain-Cruz, receiving mixed to negative reviews. In response, lead producer Orin Wolf and the production team assembled a revamped creative roster for the Broadway transfer.
A Stacked Creative Team Takes Over the Helm
The Broadway mounting brings together a powerhouse collection of theatrical talent. Saheem Ali takes over directing duties, joining producer Orin Wolf after their successful collaboration on Buena Vista Social Club.
The book has been newly penned by Peter Duchan, known for Dogfight.
Meanwhile, the music team is anchored by Tony Award winner Jason Michael Webb—who served as music director for MJ the Musical
—handling music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations. Choreographer Ebony Williams, whose credits include Sneakerella
and additional movement for the Renaissance World Tour, returns from the original production.
Keeping the musical heartbeat tethered directly to Prince’s original sound are two key music advisers: Bobby Z, the legendary drummer of The Revolution, and Morris Hayes, a longtime collaborator from the New Power Generation.
“Working alongside Bobby Z and Morris Hayes has been one of the most meaningful parts of this process. Their stories, their memories, and their understanding of how Prince worked have shaped so many conversations in the room.”
Jason Michael Webb
From Prince’s Imagination to the Majestic Stage
The project holds a unique place in the landscape of catalog musicals. While many jukebox shows force existing songs into a shoehorned narrative, the source material here originated directly from Prince’s own vision. The 1984 Warner Bros. film grossed more than $70 million worldwide, won an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score, and was eventually added to the National Film Registry in 2019.
Producer Orin Wolf noted that Prince himself understood and discussed the possibility of a stage version during his lifetime, creating an opening for the estate to consider the adaptation after his death in 2016 at age 57.
The stage plot sticks close to the original film’s narrative frame: Minneapolis in 1984, where a magnetic young performer known as The Kid
attempts to lead his band to stardom while battling a turbulent past, a fierce rival, and romantic complications. The production will feature over 20 iconic Prince songs, including When Doves Cry,
I Would Die 4 U,
Take Me with You,
and The Beautiful Ones.
Tickets, Design, and What Lies Ahead
As the production gears up for its spring 2027 bow, tickets will go on sale to the public in September through Telecharge. Casting announcements for the Broadway transfer remain forthcoming.
The visual and acoustic world of the show rests on a design team featuring Tony Award winner David Zinn for scenic design, video and projection design by Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom, costume design by Montana Levi Blanco, lighting design by Tony Award winner Justin Townsend, and sound design by Gareth Owen. Additional design elements include hair and wig design by Cookie Jordan and makeup design by Kyle Krueger, with casting managed by the TRC Company and Amanda Spooner serving as production stage manager.
With the companion soundtrack album having recently re-entered the Billboard 200 chart, the upcoming Broadway arrival serves as a major test of whether theatrical staging can capture the explosive energy that Prince first unleashed on film more than forty years ago.
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