Purple Rain Marquee is Up - Who is in it?- Page 2

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 11:42am

Full cast announced: Lawrence Gilliard, Jr is a nice get!

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 11:57am

That cast list reminds me just how weird the movie can get. I remembered Prince as "The Kid," but forgot that Wendy and Lisa, Apollonia and Morris Day were all playing real-but-fictionalized versions of themselves.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 12:25pm

KevinKlawitter said: "Full cast announced: Lawrence Gilliard, Jr is a nice get!"

Lots of newbies that'll make their Broadway debuts in the Spring.

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 10/7/25 at 7:17pm

Extended one week until November 23

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/7/25 at 7:20pm

Kevin are you seeing this? It looks so good and the brilliant man who was cast as Prince looks and sounds just like him, it's extraordinary. Please post a review!

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/7/25 at 8:20pm

I noticed on the cast list that they added an alternate for "The Kid" - Jason Korn.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 1:54am

First preview report: This cast is phenomenal and it was a damn good time.

I was getting a little nervous with the way things were starting. We weren’t let in until about ten minutes past curtain. Then, director Lileana Blain-Cruz came out to walk us through a breathing exercise and said this would only be their second run through.

Luckily there was nothing to be worried about. Choreography, sets, lighting, staging, etc all in very good form - my only gripe was the sound mixing (which is a problem with this venue from my recollection). Frequently vocals were drowned out by the band and it was very difficult to make out a lot of dialogue in the first act, but it was noticeably better in the second. Minimal other tech glitches, lighting spots, delayed transitions, etc - but the actual show is in great shape. Rachel Webb is looking, sounding, and moving beautifully and Kris Kollins is terrific as The Kid. Minneapolis was already hyped for a Prince musical, but his performance blew the audience away tonight. Lots of mid-show & mid-song applause breaks, but not to an annoying degree. 

I was surprised by the lack of screens in the first act, but the second uses them much more often and with live filming onstage. The slight issue is that the screen most used is at the very back of the stage, which can be easily obstructed depending on where you’re sitting. Again, tiny gripe that I think can be fixed.

Will revisit a time or two before November 23rd. There is some work to be done, but I have faith that they will tighten up and readjust where needed. I left pleasantly surprised!

Merch: t-shirt, hoodie, two magnets, window card, tote, pins, and hat. Mostly all black with purple & gold accents. 

Updated On: 10/17/25 at 01:54 AM

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 7:58am

Are you in anyway involved in the project?  You went to MN for first preview and state you are going back at least two more times in a 5 week run. Just curious so your review can be in the right context. 

 

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "First preview report: This cast is phenomenal and it was a damn good time.

I was getting a little nervous with the way things were starting. We weren’t let in until about ten minutes past curtain. Then, director Lileana Blain-Cruz came out towalk us through abreathing exercise and saidthis wouldonly be theirsecond run through.

Luckily there was nothing to be worried about. Choreography, sets, lighting, staging, etcall in very good form - my only gripe was the sound mixing (which isa problem with this venue from my recollection). Frequently vocals were drowned out by the band and it was very difficult to make out a lot of dialogue in the first act, but it was noticeably better in the second. Minimal other tech glitches, lighting spots, delayed transitions,etc - but the actual show is in great shape. Rachel Webb is looking, sounding, and moving beautifully and Kris Kollins is terrific as The Kid. Minneapolis was already hyped for a Prince musical, but his performance blew the audience away tonight. Lots of mid-show & mid-song applause breaks, but not to an annoying degree.

I was surprised by the lack of screens in the first act,but the second uses themmuch moreoften and with live filming onstage. The slightissue is that thescreen most used is at the very back of the stage, which can be easily obstructed depending on where you’re sitting. Again, tiny gripe that I think can befixed.

Will revisit a time or two beforeNovember 23rd. There is some work to be done, but I have faith that they will tighten up and readjust where needed. I left pleasantly surprised!

Merch: t-shirt, hoodie, two magnets, window card, tote, pins, and hat. Mostly all black with purple & gold accents."

 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 9:17am

No, not involved in any way.

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 9:40am

Cool. The Reddit reviews are much harsher than yours but happy to hear this is promising!  Big Prince fan here. 

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "No, not involved in any way."

 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 10:11am

Just adding that the first preview ran 3 hours and seventeen minutes, so there will definitely be some trimming in the coming weeks. 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 4:04pm

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "Just adding that thefirst preview ran 3 hours and seventeen minutes, so there will definitely be some trimming in the coming weeks."

I'm planning on seeing it after it gets locked in, probably second week of November depending on my schedule/finances.

Glad to hear you liked it!

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 4:26pm

Ensemble1711444445 said: "Cool. The Reddit reviews are much harsher than yours but happy to hear this is promising! Big Prince fan here.

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "No, not involved in any way."

"

The Reddit reviews are saying it's a 3 and a half hour long play with music. And the lead actor can't act. Sounds like this needed a longer workshop.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 4:35pm

 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 6:52pm

First look: Five observations from the new ‘Purple Rain’ musical (not a review)

[Ensemble1665759202]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 7:43pm

ACL2006 said: "Ensemble1711444445 said: "Cool. The Reddit reviews are much harsher than yours but happy to hear this is promising! Big Prince fan here.

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "No, not involved in any way."

"

The Reddit reviews are saying it's a 3 and a half hour long play with music. And the lead actor can't act. Sounds like this needed a longer workshop."

I mean I haven't seen it yet, but the internet is crazy. We're building narratives based on something "Acceptable-Ratio-219" posted on reddit who said there was no music and "MembershipGrand5509" who said there was too much music.

2025 man lol 

[violetsandroses]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 7:56pm

Live camera filming? For a Prince musical? Should we expect every big-budget new musical now to have camera work? 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 8:12pm

violetsandroses said: "Live camera filming? For a Prince musical? Should we expect every big-budget new musical now to have camera work?"

I was actually thinking the other day about how much the movie relied on its MTV-style editing to keep the energy up and how the stage adaptation would work without it. Maybe the live filming has something to do with that.

[tm1212]

Posted: 10/17/25 at 11:14pm

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "First preview report: This cast is phenomenal and it was a damn good time.

I was getting a little nervous with the way things were starting. We weren’t let in until about ten minutes past curtain. Then, director Lileana Blain-Cruz came out towalk us through abreathing exercise and saidthis wouldonly be theirsecond run through.

Luckily there was nothing to be worried about. Choreography, sets, lighting, staging, etcall in very good form - my only gripe was the sound mixing (which isa problem with this venue from my recollection). Frequently vocals were drowned out by the band and it was very difficult to make out a lot of dialogue in the first act, but it was noticeably better in the second. Minimal other tech glitches, lighting spots, delayed transitions,etc - but the actual show is in great shape. Rachel Webb is looking, sounding, and moving beautifully and Kris Kollins is terrific as The Kid. Minneapolis was already hyped for a Prince musical, but his performance blew the audience away tonight. Lots of mid-show & mid-song applause breaks, but not to an annoying degree.

I was surprised by the lack of screens in the first act,but the second uses themmuch moreoften and with live filming onstage. The slightissue is that thescreen most used is at the very back of the stage, which can be easily obstructed depending on where you’re sitting. Again, tiny gripe that I think can befixed.

Will revisit a time or two beforeNovember 23rd. There is some work to be done, but I have faith that they will tighten up and readjust where needed. I left pleasantly surprised!

Merch: t-shirt, hoodie, two magnets, window card, tote, pins, and hat. Mostly all black with purple & gold accents."

Can you post the instrumentation of the band/orchestra?

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 10/19/25 at 12:10pm

Here you go, tm1212.

Two recent reflections. 1) ideally there would be more ensemble members onstage for the various crowd scenes but they wouldn’t have that much to do otherwise, and 2) Ebony Williams’ choreography is beautiful even if imperfectly staged. I look forward to seeing how it if they tweak anything, as there are moments that could really be standouts. 

Updated On: 10/19/25 at 12:10 PM

[Ke3]

Posted: 10/19/25 at 1:45pm

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "

I was getting a little nervous with the way things were starting. We weren’t let in until about ten minutes past curtain. Then, director Lileana Blain-Cruz came out towalk us through abreathing exercise and saidthis wouldonly be theirsecond run through."

OMG it's so funny when they do this. When I saw Purlie, Kenny Leon came out and gave a speech asking us to meet them where they were and to keep in mind when it was written and blah blah blah only for it to be a really funny play with only slightly dated moments. Like Kenny you scared me for no good reason. Stay backstage next time!

[Tippy2]

Posted: 10/20/25 at 10:54am

Hey y'all.  Full disclosure I am one of those dreaded ticket brokers that nobody likes.  BUT it means I see almost everything and often travel to see All pre Broadway shows.  I've been doing this for the past 25 years and almost always keep my opinions to myself. I usually don't comment because I am not the most eloquent in writing and go on feel.   I just can't hold my tongue in this case.  I think it's fair for me to warn y'all that this is possibly the worst thing I've ever had to sit through.  It's bad from start to finish. I feel terribly for any actor on that stage that needs to interact with "The Kid".  They would be better off acting against a wet curtain.  

[darquegk]

Posted: 10/20/25 at 11:10am

Does anyone have the song list?

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 10/20/25 at 3:28pm

It's not firmly set yet, as one expects (even hopes) a huge rethink is in order, so a song list in show order is not published. However, there is a list of music credits at the back of the Playbill listing who wrote and published what, and per that list, the songs that appear in the show currently include (in alphabetical order):

17 Days
Adore
Baby I'm A Star
Beautiful Ones, The*
Bird, The*
Computer Blue
Condition of the Heart
Darling Nikki
Diamonds and Pearls
Do Me, Baby
Electric Intercourse
Empty Room
Erotic City
Feel U Up
Forever in My Life
Gigolos Get Lonely Too
Glamorous Life, The*
Head
I Wanna Be Your Lover
I Would Die 4 U
Irresistible Bitch
Jungle Love
Kiss
Let's Go Crazy
Little Red Corvette
Love Bizarre, A*
Make Up
Mountains
Nasty Girl
Nothing Compares 2 U
Partyman
Purple Rain
Sex Shooter
Strange Relationship
Sugar Walls
Take Me With U
U Got the Look
When 2 R In Love
When Doves Cry

* no lie, this is how they are credited

(Edited to incorporate the one song I didn't know. The list is now complete as of previews.)

Updated On: 10/20/25 at 03:28 PM

[MezzA101]

Posted: 10/20/25 at 3:44pm

Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ Takes Center Stage in Minneapolis

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/20/theater/purple-rain-musical-prince-minneapolis.html?unlocked_article_code=1.u08.x4Kv.9pDeuzGjY4-O&smid=nytcore-android-share