Jordan Fisher to Play the Kid in Broadway's Purple Rain

Jordan Fisher will play "The Kid" — the role Prince made famous — in the Broadway premiere of "Purple Rain" at the Majestic Theatre. Previews begin March 12 ahead of an April 12 opening night next spring.

The casting marks a career milestone for Fisher. He's a Broadway regular, with credits in "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," "Moulin Rouge! The Musical," "Dear Evan Hansen" and "Hamilton." But this is the first time he's originating a role on Broadway rather than stepping into an existing one.

An alternate performer will take over the part on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday matinees. Additional casting will be announced later.

What does the director see in Fisher?

Director Saheem Ali said the discovery process has been about more than vocal chops.

"We know that Jordan Fisher is an extraordinary talent, but what's been thrilling about watching him inhabit 'The Kid' is discovering the fire beneath the surface: the swagger, vulnerability and restless creative spirit we recognize in Prince," Ali said.

"Jordan brings all of that to the role, along with an infectious generosity that makes everyone around him better. He's finding something raw, surprising, and deeply human in this iconic character, and I can't wait for Broadway audiences to experience it."

That quote does a lot of work. Ali is naming the three things any Prince successor has to carry at once: swagger, vulnerability and creative restlessness. Fisher's task is to make an audience believe all three in the same performance.

What is the show about?

The musical adapts the 1984 film, which grossed nearly $100 million worldwide and produced the mega-selling album of the same name.

The official logline sets the scene: "Minneapolis, 1984. A new era of music television is creating overnight stars. A magnetic young performer known as 'The Kid' seems like the perfect frontman to lead his bandmates to stardom. But when his past threatens everything he's built, he'll have to sing his way out of the darkness and into the spotlight where he belongs."

The score features more than 20 of Prince's hits, including:

• "When Doves Cry"
• "I Would Die 4 U"
• "Take Me With You"
• "The Beautiful Ones"

Who built the musical?

Peter Duchan, who wrote the musical "Dogfight," penned the book. Jason Michael Webb, whose credits include "MJ the Musical," leads the music team.

Two longtime Prince collaborators are also on board as music advisers: Bobby Z and Morris Hayes, both of whom spent years playing and working alongside the artist.

The show isn't a cold launch. It was first staged in 2025 at Hennepin Theatre Trust's historic State Theatre in Minneapolis — the city where Prince was born.

What does this change for Broadway?

For Fisher, it's the first role built around him from the start, on a stage — the Majestic — with serious history. For the production, the casting answers its biggest question: who can carry a character and a songbook permanently tied to one of pop's singular performers. With previews starting March 12, audiences will judge the answer soon enough.