Posted: 3/18/26 at 4:53pm
Fresh on the heels of “Purple Rain,” the stage adaptation of Prince’s film that had its glitzy world premiere at Minneapolis’ State Theatre in October 2025, another film-to-stage adaptation will take its first bow in the Twin Cities.
“Happy Feet,” the 2006 animated film about Mumble the tap-dancing emperor penguin, is being adapted for the stage and is expected to premiere in Minneapolis in summer 2028.
The news was announced at a recent event for theater insiders in Miami and comes after “Purple Rain,” whose producer, Orin Wolf, vowed to take the show to Broadway (more on than later).
Broadway and film producer Dori Berinstein is behind the “Happy Feet” adaptation effort. Six of her shows have won Tonys, including “Stereophonic,” “Company,” “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”
Berinstein also executive produced “Dirty Dancing.”
Actors Robin Williams, Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, rapper Fat Joe and rocker Chrissie Hynde voiced the animated characters of “Happy Feet.”
No casting has been announced for the stage version.
Minnesota has a history of pre-Broadway tryouts, the biggest of which was “The Lion King,” which premiered in 1997 and transferred to Times Square, where it is still running.
https://www.startribune.com/is-minnesota-becoming-a-hotspot-for-launching-broadway-shows/601599994?utm_source=gift
