When the lights fade and the stage glows purple, it feels like a homecoming. In Minneapolis, the city that shaped and was shaped by Prince, the magic of Purple Rain™ has returned. The story that once electrified movie screens is now alive on stage at the State Theatre, pulsing with fresh energy and devotion.
At the heart of this pre-Broadway production are Ebony Williams, an Emmy Award-winning choreographer known for her bold, emotive storytelling through dance, and Jason Michael Webb, a Tony Award-winning music supervisor celebrated for his mastery of live orchestration and soul-rooted sound. Together, they are the creative pulse behind this revival, both translating Prince’s genius into a living, breathing stage experience.
“I mean, we wanted to do a tribute,” said Williams, her tone both grounded and reverent. “In the middle of the show, when everything turns purple, people start crying. I met him once in Paris, and it was emotional. There’s always been a real connection there.”
Webb nodded beside her. “I wish I had known him personally,” he said. “I’ve loved his music for so many years. I saw him twice in small clubs, sitting right at the edge of the stage, just in awe of what he was able to do. You love the music on the record, but when you see him live, he transforms it. That changed me.”
Their conversation with Insight News publisher Al McFarlane took place in the ornate lobby of the State Theatre, just steps away from the very streets where Prince once filmed scenes that would etch Minneapolis into music history. For Williams and Webb, being here is more than professional. It’s spiritual.
“I don’t really know Minneapolis,” Williams admitted. “Every time I come, I’m working. But I feel the energy here, the love, the history. You can sense why this place meant so much to him.”
That energy, McFarlane noted, is woven into the city’s DNA. He shared his own Prince story from decades earlier, when Insight News’ offices sat just down the street from the legendary First Avenue nightclub. “When they were filming Purple Rain, one of the motorcycle scenes was shot right outside my window,” he recalled. “My teenage daughters were watching through the glass when Prince rode by. The crew stopped filming because of the noise, but they ended up inviting the girls to the set. That’s our family’s Prince story.”
When asked what audiences can expect from this new production, Webb spoke of transformation. “It’s like the great hymns: you can rearrange them, but they still hold the same power,” he said. “Everything Prince created was rooted in love, liberty, and excellence. We want people to feel that.”
Williams agreed. “I hope people walk away feeling alive,” she said. “I hope they dance, remember, and see themselves in this music. Prince built community through art. That’s what we want to honor.”
And in the glow of the purple lights, as the city once again moves to Prince’s rhythm, Minneapolis finds itself reflected back through sound, through movement, and through the artists carrying his spirit forward.
Purple Rain™ runs through November 23, 2025, at the State Theatre. Tickets are available at hennepinarts.org/events/purple-rain-2025.
