Review: ‘Purple Rain’ gets our critics delirious, sort of

After years of behind-the-scenes prep, three weeks of previews and the last-minute painting of downtown Minneapolis purple, the decisive moment has arrived. “Purple Rain” officially opened Wednesday at the State Theatre.

Based on the blockbuster 1984 film that catapulted Prince to international stardom, the story orbits the Kid, an aspiring musician grappling with family issues, show-biz rivalries and romantic challenges.

With Broadway goals, the musical is backed by a team with Tony Award credentials, including producer Orin Wolf and Pulitzer-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.

Lileana Blain-Cruz, who staged the show, is the Tony-nominated resident director at the prestigious Lincoln Center Theater, while former longtime Prince sidemen Bobby Z and Morris Hayes served as music advisers.

Like the movie, the musical stars a bunch of unknowns.

How is the show? Do they do the ghost of Prince justice? Will it make it to Broadway?

This is what it sounds like when two critics vie — Jon Bream, who covered Prince for his entire career, and Rohan Preston, who has reviewed theater for three decades.

True, there are plenty of things that still need to be worked on, including the noisy top. It’s neither a stage bio nor a jukebox musical, even though the nine original songs on the “Purple Rain” soundtrack are padded with about 15 others. Diehard Prince fans want a tribute concert, while theater lovers want a great story with music tightly integrated. And yet there’s no live composer as a collaborator. Given all of that, this “Purple Rain” has funkily electric legs.

JB: Maybe I’m too demanding, or just like Prince’s mother, I’m never satisfied. But, I held Prince to a high standard because I knew what stupendous things he was capable of. While this is not a Prince project per se, this adaptation of his work — his film and songs — while quite entertaining, falls short, like his heavily flawed movies “Under the Cherry Moon” and “Graffiti Bridge.” Prince never understood that everyone needs an editor, and this musical, which has plenty of potential, desperately needs an editor or two.

JB: While the movie was pulled together in about a year, Bobby Z, the only person who worked on both the movie and the musical, said he’s been involved with the musical for six years. Lots of different voices and craftspeople weighed in, but frankly, the musical seems too closely wed to the movie, insisting on including too many elements that make both acts too long. One big change, a welcome one at that, is a newfound feminist bent with Wendy and Lisa leaving the Revolution to join Apollonia 6, encouraging them to play instruments and not dress like hookers. I expected the musical to take more liberties with aspects of the story.

RP: Agreed. It would have been unwise to maintain too much fidelity to the plot and mores of a film that, for all its great music, had backward attitudes around gender, misogyny and violence. So, the plot is changed up, female characters are given more agency and even the traumas that haunt the Kid get a kind of psycho-dramatic gloss. Yes, it’s “Purple Rain the Remix.”

JB: Newcomer Kris Kollins as the Kid shows considerable musical talent and an ability to emulate Prince’s dance moves, even doing the splits. Yowza! But, like Prince, he’s not much of an actor. His delivery of his monologues — and other lines — was monotone. Kollins doesn’t have to be cool to rule the stage, but he’s got to be believable. On the other hand, Rachel Webb, who has some Broadway experience, made all the right moves in singing and acting as Apollonia. And Jared Howelton, a Broadway vet who played Lafayette in “Hamilton,” stole the show with his cartoonish performance of Morris. His performance of “Gigolos Get Lonely Too” from inside a dumpster is LOL hilarious, an ingenious twist on the sexist dumpster scene in the movie in which Morris tosses a woman into the garbage.

Co-star Webb’s turn as Apollonia is rangy, absorbing and, truth be told, one that invites a sacrilegious comparison to the inspiration for the character. For Webb is a stronger, more soulful and consummate performer as Apollonia than the real thing.

RP: The creative team’s work transported us into the Kid’s world and imagination. David Zinn’s set, which took us from the nightclub to Prince’s bedroom and elsewhere, was augmented by the sleek projection design by Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom. Also striking were Montana Levi Blanco’s multi-era costumes, including clever references to the likes of Keith Haring. Choreographer Ebony Williams also showed freedom in the dances, which nod to the raunchiness, athleticism and dexterity of the Kid’s world (and for which Prince also was known).

JB: The sets are effective, especially the Kid’s purple bedroom with all its candles and the nightclub, known as the First, an unimaginative moniker in lieu of First Avenue. As for the costumes, the ensemble members dress in contemporary ’fits, whereas the Revolution look very ’80s. And the Kid’s outfits are on the nose, including a replica of Prince’s two-piece outfit from the “Kiss” video. If he’s not playing Prince, we don’t need to dress exactly like Prince.

JB: They employ the “purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka” line early to the delight of the audience, a motorcycle makes a mandatory but gratuitous appearance, and the puppet that the Kid toys with in the dressing room is there for the ultimate “Purple Rain” nerds. But where’s the squirt-gun guitar? That would be super-soaking fun.

RP: Add that, and the 2½-hour show would be back to being super-soaking long.

JB: Like you said, Ro, all the negative social media vibes during the previews from “Purple Rain” devotees made me skeptical. I liked the show more than I expected, though I didn’t get delirious. I was surprised to see the Kid start the climactic “Purple Rain” on piano and later switch to guitar — but it still gave me goosebumps like whenever Prince played it.

JB: Fifteen extra songs by your count, Ro. They dip into Prince’s catalog, pulling out some obvious extras like “Kiss,” “U Got the Look” and “Nothing Compares 2 U” as well as the unexpected “Sugar Walls” that he wrote for Sheena Easton and “The Glamorous Life” penned for Sheila E.

RP: That feeds the fans and the show. It’s funny that “Kiss” is performed at the top of the show because it does not drive the story forward in any way, but it’s something that made me want to dance. And I have new insight on “Darling Nikki” as the musical equivalent of revenge porn.

JB: Bravo. The violence and misogyny are toned down, though there is one scene where the Kid pushes Apollonia. The slapping, gun firing and dumpster pushing from the movie have no place in a 2025 production.

RP: Amen.

JB: I have two flashbacks. One is to the glitzy premiere of “Purple Rain” in Hollywood in 1984. I stood outside the afterparty with Steve Fargnoli, Prince’s day-to-day manager and film co-producer, and he was pessimistic. I told him, “Don’t worry.” I have a different reaction this time, one that recalls the last time I did a joint review with another Strib critic, for Prince’s third film, “Graffiti Bridge,” in 1990. I expressed my true feelings, dissing Prince’s acting, directing and pretty much everything but the music. The Purple One got so angry at me that he had me banned from his club Glam Slam for a stretch. I’ll be honest once again: As is, this musical isn’t ready for Broadway. Not yet. But it can make it there.

“Purple Rain”

What: Theatrical adaptation of 1984 Prince movie

When: Through Nov. 23

Where: State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Av. S., Minneapolis