The Kid Rides Again: Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ Goes Broadway

Photo: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns Prince’s Purple Rain is hitting Broadway, and the Big Apple could not be happier about it. A stage version of the 1984 film will start previews at the Majestic Theatre on March 12, 2027, with opening night set for April 12, 2027. Producers dropped the news on the 42nd anniversary of the original movie, a global hit that locked Prince in as one of music’s most influential stars. The 1984 film marked Prince’s acting debut and pulled in nearly $100 million worldwide. It rode on the back of the Purple Rain soundtrack, which spent 24 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and won two Grammys, three American Music Awards, two Brit Awards, and an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. [nytimes] Producer Orin Wolf said the show aims to capture the same creative energy that made the film a cultural milestone. “Prince is, without doubt, one of the rarest, most brilliant musicians we’ve ever had,” Wolf said. “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 story follows The Kid, a gifted but troubled Minneapolis musician pushing his band t...