Prince's 'Purple Rain' Set To Become A Stage Musical

Prince’s iconic 1984 drama and musical film Purple Rain is hitting the stage, with more information about the upcoming stage adaptation coming later this year.

The adaptation is led by two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and Tony-nominated director Lileana Blain-Cruz.

In a statement to Deadline, L. Londell McMillan, chairman of The NorthStar Group, and Larry Mestel, founder and CEO of Primary Wave Music, said:

We can’t think of a more fitting tribute than to honour Prince and the ‘Purple Rain’ legacy with this stage adaptation of the beloved story.

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.

The stage musical will feature songs and lyrics from the Purple Rain film and album, including When Doves Cry, Let’s Go Crazy, and, of course, the unforgettable title track.

For those who haven’t seen the original movie, Purple Rain follows the tormented yet tremendously talented young musician “The Kid” as he falls in love, deals with conflict with a rival singer, and faces dissatisfaction within his band. Purple Rain was directed by Albert Magnoli and marked Prince’s acting debut.

The film grossed over $68 million globally. At the same time, Purple Rain, the album released by Prince and the Revolution, landed at #1 in Australia upon its release and was subsequently certified Platinum in 1996 after moving more than 210,000 units.

Last February, Shania Twain revealed in an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe that she missed out on the collaboration of a lifetime with Prince.

In 2008, Twain told Lowe that Prince called her, asking to collaborate on "the next Rumours". Twain, who was organising her divorce from producer "Mutt" Lange, wasn't ready for what Prince was offering.

"I missed out on that because Prince called me when I got divorced," Twain recalled. "We’re on the phone, and he said, ‘Shania, why don’t you come to Paisley Park? I want to make the next Rumours album with you.’”

She added, confirming that she wasn't up to the task, "When Prince said that to me, I’m like, oh man, I’m not even divorced yet… And I’m such a major Prince fan. And then, on top of it, I hadn’t found my voice yet," Twain said, referencing her battle with Lyme disease. "I was still working on it. I was so far from finding it still."