Forty-two years after Prince forever changed music and film, Purple Rain is making its way to Broadway. Producers have officially announced that the musical will begin previews at the Majestic Theatre on March 12, 2027, before opening on April 12, 2027, exactly 42 years after the groundbreaking film first hit theaters in 1984 and just weeks after its legendary soundtrack re-entered the Billboard 200 chart.
The production will feature more than 20 of Prince’s biggest hits, including “When Doves Cry,” “I Would Die 4 U,” “Take Me With You” and “The Beautiful Ones.”
Based on the 1984 film, Purple Rain follows an aspiring Minneapolis musician known as The Kid as he navigates family turmoil, romance, artistic ambition and fierce musical competition on his journey to stardom. The original film launched Prince’s acting career while cementing his status as one of music’s greatest artists. Its soundtrack spent 24 consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200, earning Prince two Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score.
The Broadway production arrives with a revamped creative team following its 2025 world premiere in Minneapolis. Tony Award-nominated director Saheem Ali, known for Buena Vista Social Club, takes the helm replacing Lileana Blain-Cruz, while playwright Peter Duchan, known for Dogfight, steps in as book writer replacing Pulitzer Prize winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Jason Michael Webb, known for MJ the Musical, serves as music supervisor, arranger and orchestrator, with Ebony Williams, a veteran of Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour, as choreographer. Longtime Prince collaborators Bobby Z and Morris Hayes return as music advisers.
“Prince was an icon, and Purple Rain is iconic,” Ali said. “Our aim is not only to honor the legacy that Prince built, but to make his timeless music feel urgent and alive, passing it on to the next generation of fans who will make it their own.”
Music supervisor Webb echoed the intention behind the production. “Helping to translate Purple Rain for the Broadway stage isn’t about recreating what already exists. It’s about honoring the spirit, fearlessness, and musical genius that made it timeless.”
Casting has not yet been announced. Tickets are expected to go on sale this September.