Prince performing.
Photo: Prince via YouTube
After making both doves and critics cry in its out-of-town tryouts, the Purple Rain musical adaptation is heading to Broadway. The production revealed today that it will be heading to the Majestic Theatre this Spring. The musical is based on Prince’s 1984 movie of the same name, which features not only the beloved title song, but iconic tracks including “When Doves Cry,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” and “I Would Die 4 U,” which are featured in the adaptation. “Prince is, without doubt, one of the rarest, most brilliant musicians we’ve ever had,” producer Orin Wolf said in a statement. “What he accomplished with Purple Rain in 1984 — the song, the album, and the film — is a testament to the art of making music and showcases it at the highest level.”
The Broadway transfer of this musical has been far from inevitable. When the show played Minneapolis in Fall 2025, it ravaged by reviewers. The New York Times wrote that it “falls prey to a pair of modern impulses: correcting its source’s sexist lapses … and underlining motivations in all-caps bold.” Since then, much of the creative team has been replaced. Director Lileana Blain-Cruz is now substituted for Buena Vista Social Club director Saheem Ali and Pulitzer Prize winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, originally the book writer, is replaced by Peter Duchan (Dogfight). Music supervisor Jason Michael Webb and choreographer Ebony Williams remain with the show. No casting, new or otherwise, has been confirmed.
While the original version of the show was criticized for excess changes, members of the new creative team, in their statements, indicate more fealty to the original. “I am honored to join the Purple Rain family and help carry this story forward,” Ali said in a statement. “Our aim is not only to honor the legacy that Prince built, but to make his timeless music feel urgent and alive, passing it on to the next generation of fans who will make it their own.” Duchan added, “Prince gave us the blueprint for this story, and our job has been to make sure his voice and music lead the show and to celebrate his remarkable legacy.”
Purple Rain begins previews on March 12, 2027 and officially opens April 12. Let’s see how this round goes.
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