Orin Wolf announces the development of a new stage adaptation of Prince’s legendary film and album, PURPLE RAIN. Based on the original screenplay by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn, this stage adaptation will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins; music and lyrics by Prince; and direction by Tony Award-nominee Lileana Blain-Cruz. Additional production details and timing will be announced in the coming months.
“It's been almost 40 years since Prince’s legendary film, PURPLE RAIN, took the world by storm and we can’t think of a more fitting tribute than to honor Prince and the PURPLE RAIN legacy with this stage adaptation of the beloved story,” said L Londell McMillan, Chairman of The NorthStar Group, and Larry Mestel, Founder & CEO of Primary Wave Music. “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.”
PRINCE ROGERS NELSON (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) is widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of all time. A singer, songwriter, musician, and music producer, he received countless awards, nominations and accolades for his music, performances, and skill as a multi-instrumentalist, frequently playing all or most of the instruments on his recordings. His music incorporated a wide variety of styles, including funk, rhythm and blues, rock, new wave, soul, blues, jazz, and hip-hop. Prince produced his albums himself, pioneering the Minneapolis sound. Prince has sold over 150 million records worldwide, ranking him among the best-selling music artists of all time. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2016. He received seven Grammy Awards, seven Brit Awards, six American Music Awards, four MTV Video Awards, and Academy Award for Best Original Score for Purple Rain, and a Golden Globe Award. Two of his albums, Purple Rain (1984) and Sign o’ the Times (1987), received Grammy nominations for Album of the Year. His albums 1999, Purple Rain, and Sign o’ the Times have all been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. At the 2013 Billboard Music Awards he was honored with the Billboard Icon Award.
PURPLE RAIN tells the fictional story of The Kid, an up-and-coming rock musician in the Minneapolis club scene, as he contends with a tumultuous home environment, a rival band, and a budding romance. Released in July 1984 by Warner Bros, the film was originated by Prince, directed by Albert Magnoli and written by Magnoli and William Blinn. It was Prince’s film debut. PURPLE RAIN is a cultural phenomenon, widely regarded as one of the greatest musical films ever made, grossing close to $100 million worldwide and winning the Academy Award for Best Original Score. In 2019, the Library of Congress added the film to the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Prince and The Revolution’s iconic soundtrack, PURPLE RAIN, was released in June 1984. The album received two Grammys, three American Music Awards, two Brit Awards, and an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. The album remained at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for 24 weeks. The album is certified 13x Platinum by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) and has sold over 25 million copies worldwide.