Prince‘s “Purple Rain,” the 1984 film about the rise of an international rock star from humble beginnings in Minneapolis, is being adapted as a stag musical, according to the New York Times.
The book for the project will be written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a playwright and MacArthur Fellow best known for the dysfunctional family drama “Appropriate.” “Purple Rain’s” book will be based on the original screenplay of the same name, which was written by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn.
Lileana Blain-Cruz, who is best known for reviving Thornton Wilder’s “The Skin of Our Teeth,” is set to direct. Orin Wolf, the producer behind the theatrical adaptation of the documentary “Buena Vista Social Club,” will produce.
Directed by Albert Magnoli, the 1984 film marked Prince’s acting debut. The movie was developed to showcase the musician’s talents and featured several performances from Prince and his band, The Revolution. Apollonia Kotero, Morris Day, Olga Karlatos, Clarence Williams III and Wendy & Lisa were also part of the cast.
The movie followed the story of The Kid, the frontman of the Minneapolis-based band The Revolution who’s trying to escape his difficult home life. His journey balancing who he wants to be as a musician and as a man carries him through several of Prince’s biggest songs. The movie ends with The Kid performing his most emotionally honest song yet, “Purple Rain,” to a cheering crowd.
When it was first released, the film was a commercial success, grossing over $68 million against a budget of $7 million. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and has gone down in history as one of the best musical films. The award-winning soundtrack was also Prince’s sixth, and most successful, album.
Regarded as one of the best musicians of all time, Prince died in 2016 at the age of 57.
