The Purple Rain is about to pour down on Broadway, and the story behind its newest stars feels like something straight out of a modern fairy tale.
In a casting twist that Prince himself might have appreciated, the production team’s exhaustive search for their lead ended not in traditional casting rooms, but through the endless scroll of social media. D.C. native Kris Kollins — discovered through his viral music videos and digital presence — will step into the daunting purple boots of The Kid, the role that catapulted Prince to movie stardom back in ’84.
“Finding Kris was like catching lightning in a bottle,” says Pulitzer Prize winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, who’s steering the creative direction of this hotly anticipated 2025 production. “Though honestly, convincing him we weren’t just some weird internet stalkers took some doing.” The creative team’s persistence paid off — Kollins, who’s already made waves with his EP “Pistachio” and some killer tracks for Paramount+, brings an almost supernatural ability to channel Prince’s legendary vocal gymnastics.
But this isn’t just The Kid’s story. Rachel Webb, fresh from turning heads in “& Juliet,” has claimed the role of Apollonia. Director Lileana Blain-Cruz couldn’t contain her enthusiasm about Webb’s audition: “She just… well, she made us completely reimagine what Apollonia could be. Sometimes magic happens in that audition room, you know?”
The show’s world premiere — set for Minneapolis’ State Theatre this October 16th — feels particularly poignant. Where better to debut than Prince’s hometown, where the streets still whisper his name? The production promises something beyond a simple retelling of the ’84 film. Sure, we’ll follow our Minneapolis musician through the familiar territory of rivalry, romance, and family drama, but this time the musical landscape stretches far beyond the original soundtrack, diving deep into Prince’s vast musical universe.
Let’s be real — adapting Prince’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece for Broadway is no small feat. The pressure’s on to honor his legacy while speaking to 2025’s audience. But with Tony-nominated Blain-Cruz at the helm and the estate’s blessing in their pocket, this production seems ready to paint the Great White Way purple.
The Minneapolis run wraps November 16th, and while the Broadway timeline remains under wraps (theater folks and their secrets, right?), buzz is already building. After all, this isn’t just another jukebox musical — it’s Purple Rain, baby. And if these early glimpses are any indication, we’re in for something special.
Sometimes it takes a modern miracle to bring a classic back to life. In this case, it took a social media discovery, a Broadway rising star, and a creative team brave enough to reimagine an icon’s story for a new era. The Revolution’s coming to Broadway, and it looks like it’s in pretty good hands.
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