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NEWS: First Look at Purple Rain Musical on Saturday, June 22

by Twin Cities Arts Reader -

The stage musical adaptation of Prince’s legendary film and album Purple Rain is taking shape. The musical, scheduled to run April 10-May 11, 2025 at the historic State Theatre in Minneapolis, is filling out its creative team with new members, and will receive a “first look” preview and discussion tomorrow.

This stage adaptation will feature a story by Prince; a book by Tony Award winner and two-time Pulitzer Prize-finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, based on the original screenplay by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn; music and lyrics by Prince; and direction by Tony Award-nominee Lileana Blain-Cruz.

A promotional image for Purple Rain.

The “first look” will take place in the middle of Paisley Park’s CELEBRATION 2024 event this week. Director Lileana Blain-Cruz, book writer Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, and music supervisor Jason Michael Webb, will be joined by Bobby Z and Morris Hayes for a panel discussion at CELEBRATION 2024 this Saturday, June 22 in Minneapolis.

Producer Orin Wolf, who is developing Purple Rain for a pre-Broadway run, has hired Tony Award-winning musician Jason Michael Webb as the production’s Music Supervisor, also engaging Webb for musical arrangements and orchestrations. Bobby Z – a veteran drummer in Prince’s band The Revolution – and Morris Hayes – keyboardist in Prince’s band The New Power Generation have also been engaged as Music Advisers for the production.

The production will also be holding open casting call auditions in Minneapolis for all roles. Dates and information will be announced in the coming weeks and will also be available at: https://purplerainbroadway.com/

“We are thrilled to invite Bobby Z and Morris Hayes to join the Purple Rain production as Music Advisers,” said L Londell McMillan. “Prince very much enjoyed live musicals and talked about adapting Purple RainRAIN for the stage. I can’t imagine two better artists to work with us and the Broadway creative team to help ensure that Purple Rain is brilliantly realized, on stage, in a way that honors Prince and his music legacy.”

“Bringing in Morris Hayes and Bobby Z, two of Prince’s longtime collaborators, was extremely important as we move forward with the pre-Broadway premiere of Purple Rain,” said Larry Mestel. “Having worked with Prince for years, they will ensure this production holds true to Prince’s vision and continues his legacy. Matching their history and musical contributions with Prince, alongside the creative team already in place, will surely bring magic to the stage.”

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