Country Music Legend Dolly Parton’s Autobiographical Musical Exploring Her Journey From East Tennessee Will Hit Broadway This Winter
“Dolly: A True Original Musical” premiered last year in Nashville in Parton’s home state
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The story of the pride and joy of the Great Smoky Mountains is coming soon to Broadway.
Dolly Parton, the acclaimed country music songwriter and star, announced plans to bring an autobiographical musical to New York this winter. The show, Dolly: A True Original Musical, is billed as “a remarkable journey through the life of this trailblazing woman,” and promises to lift the veil on a musical journey that spans more than 60 years.
“Now this isn’t just a story about the sparkle you see on the outside, it’s about where I really come from, what I’ve lived, what I’ve lost, what I’ve loved, and how I found my way and told it in my own words, through the music that’s been with me every step of the journey,” Parton says in a video statement.
The biography of the Queen of Country has a rags-to-riches arc. Parton grew up in a small log cabin with 11 siblings in Sevierville, Tennessee. Her songs were broadcast via local radio, and after graduating from high school she traveled to Nashville. Decades later, Parton is internationally celebrated and her music has been recognized with nearly a dozen Grammy award wins.
Dolly previews will begin in early December at New York’s St. James Theatre, with opening night scheduled for the singer’s 81st birthday on January 19.
The musical is set to feature signature hits including “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “9 to 5,” as well as new songs written specifically for the show. Parton co-wrote the musical with Maria S. Schlatter, who also penned the screenplay for the 2020 musical film Christmas on the Square, which starred Parton and won two Emmy awards.
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Parton will not appear in the musical herself, reported New York Times’ Emily Cochrane last July.
Originally called Hello, I’m Dolly, the show enjoyed a brief, sold-out world debut last year in Nashville.
“I don’t think people outside of Tennessee understand how important she is to East Tennessee,” Kristi Watkins, a showgoer from Knoxville, told the Times. “She’s never forgotten where she’s come from.”
During the premiere, “I was overwhelmed by the deep connection audiences have with Dolly,” Bartlett Sher, the musical’s director, tells the Guardian’s Owen Myers. “You mention her name and people light up and share a time that she has inspired them and brought them joy.”
Parton is no Broadway rookie. The 2009 show 9 to 5: The Musical, for which she wrote the music and lyrics, received four Tony award nominations, including for best original score.
Her fingerprints are all over another large-scale spectacle: the Dollywood amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, located just a few miles away from the cabin in which she grew up.
“My whole life has been a musical,” Parton says in a statement. “A grand ole opera, really, and I can’t wait to bring it to you on Broadway. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I’ve enjoyed livin’ it!”
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