Dolly Parton Biomusical Will Make Pre-Broadway World Premiere in Tennessee This Year | Playbill

Regional News Dolly Parton Biomusical Will Make Pre-Broadway World Premiere in Tennessee This Year

Bartlett Sher will direct Dolly: An Original Musical at Fisher Center for the Performing Arts this summer.

Dolly Parton Jim Wright

The previously announced Dolly Parton biomusical has set a pre-Broadway world premiere run in Nashville, Tennessee, for this summer. Performances will begin July 18 ahead of an August 8 opening night at Fisher Center for the Performing Arts. Performances will continue through August 17, with Tony winner Bartlett Sher at the helm.

Parton herself revealed the news onstage at the Fisher Center January 28, in an event that streamed live to fans. Also newly revealed: the musical plans to come to Broadway in 2026.

The project also has a new title. Originally announced as Hello, I'm Dolly, the musical will now be titled Dolly: An Original Musical. Parton is collaborating with Maria S. Schlatter on the musical's book.

"What is that old saying? To do a great show, you have to make them laugh, make them cry, scare the hell out of them, and then they can go home. Well, we're doing all of that," said Parton during the announcement. "I want people to go away feeling like they've been entertained, of course, but I personally want them to see the person inside of me, the life, the things you go through, the things you truly do have to sacrifice. Everybody thinks it's all glamorous and glory and money and fame, but there's so much more to a life like mine, starting when I was tiny, and the prices that I have had to pay. The sacrifice is the story."

Dolly also shared that she's written "a whole lot" of new, original songs for the show, but we can also expect to hear some of the 11-time Grammy winner's greatest hits, as director Sher commented on in his own remarks. "I love 'God, Sex, and Music,'" said Sher. "I think it captures so much about who Dolly is. It's an incredible song. It comes at a really critical, beautiful time in the story, and it captures all the contradictions and all the ways in which she makes you accept and see who you are in this beautiful way."

Watch the full announcement event below.

The musical will also launch an education initiative called Dolly U, which will launch with a program giving Belmont students an inside look at the creation of the show. Students will be given opportunities to work alongside the production's cast and creative and producing teams. The university will also host project-based courses this spring covering the project's marketing, brand partnerships, and merchandising. Both initiatives are planned to be a pilot for additional courses and programs from Belmont, Parton, and CTK Enterprises. Information on Dolly U is available at Belmont.edu.

Dolly will be Parton's second Broadway outing, after penning the original score to 2009's 9 to 5. The musical was based on the film of the same name, which co-stars Parton and featured her chart-topping hit title song (which also appears in the musical version).

Casting is to be announced. All eyes are on who will be cast as Parton, with the production currently accepting video submissions via social media in a worldwide open call. Casting is by Jim Carnahan and Carrie Gardner.

Parton, Danny Nozell, ATG Productions, and Gavin Kalin Productions are producing, with 101 Productions serving as general manager.

Tickets are already on sale at DollyMusical.com.

 
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