Prince’s Role in ‘Purple Rain’ Musical Given to Newcomer Kris Kollins
by Martin Kielty
The creators of the upcoming stage version of Prince’s Purple Rain have finally revealed who will be playing the lead role of The Kid.
Newcomer Kris Kollins has been working on the project for some time in secret, before producer Orin Wolf named him, alongside co-star Rachel Webb, who’ll play Apollonia, Deadline reported.
Based on Prince’s 1984 movie, the musical opens at the State Theatre in Minneapolis on Oct. 16, running for a month before transferring to Broadway, although no details of the move have been confirmed.
“The question asked of me the most since I began working on Purple Rain has been, ‘Who’s playing the Kid?’” said Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, author of the new version. “And I’m so thrilled to finally be able to scream from the mountaintops, ‘Kris Kollins!’”
He continued: “From our first encounter with his original music and socials, we were absolutely floored by Kris’ gifts – his musicianship, his voice, his magnetism. It took a minute for us to convince him we weren’t stalkers, but I’m so glad we did.
“Over the past couple of years of building this show with him, we have been blown away again and again by the depths of his talent and dedication.
‘Purple Rain’ Musical Will Explore Prince’s World Anew
“He is clearly such a star, and we are so lucky because there are probably no bigger shoes to fill in the theatre right now. Kris is the real deal, and we can’t wait for audiences to see him bring The Kid to life.” Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Meanwhile, director Lileana Blain-Cruz hailed established actress Webb, saying: “She’s a stunning presence with an incredible voice, who inspired us to really reimagine what was possible for the role of Apollonia.
“This casting has been one of the unique joys of developing the stage adaptation of Purple Rain with Branden. We get to explore [Prince’s] world anew and be exhilarated by the passion and integrity of an artist like Rachel Webb.”
According to GazetteXtra:
In sound and sensibility, Kollins is a ringer for Prince. Social media is strewn with videos of his covers and tributes of Prince songs. They reveal how he has mastered Prince’s quicksilver range, jumping from gritty baritone and bass voice to silky, ethereal falsetto.
Kollins’ own music blends R&B, pop, funk, psychedelic and soul influences with side trips into bossa nova. He dropped his first EP, “Pistachio,” last year. And he has two songs, “GSAW” and “River,” in the Paramount+ film “Noah’s Arc: The Movie.”
“I find beauty in the blurred lines between masculine and feminine energy,” Kollins said in an interview in Mundane magazine. “Ambiguity, rebellion, sexual liberation … it all inspires my aesthetic.”
Kollins has never acted before; “Rain” marks his professional stage debut.
Webb’s presence and voice “inspired us to really reimagine what was possible for the role of Apollonia,” director Lileana Blain-Cruz said in a statement. ”
Pictures (top) – Kris Kollins and Rachel Webb
Source: ultimateclassicrock.com
Source: gazettextra.com
