Dolly Parton premieres Broadway musical recounting her life now
Dolly Parton’s 81st birthday will coincide with the Broadway debut of her musical “Dolly: A True Original Musical.” The show will_z_ begin previews at the St. JamesYerater on December 7, with a full opening the following month on January 19, the day of her birthday. The production traces her life and career, emphasizing personal history over stage glamour.
Parton is not performing in the show, having stepped back from her Las Vegas residency in May because of recurring kidney stones and immune‑digestive issues. The pause allows her to concentrate on her health while the musical moves towards Broadway.
Director Bartlett Sher, a nine‑time Tony Award nominee, leads the production. Its soundtrack blends Parton’s classic recordings—“I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “9 to 5”—with original songs written for the stage, and the book was co‑written with Maria S. Schlatter.
Longtime collaborators Richard Dennison and Gregg Perry worked as vocal and music arrangers. Parton co‑produces alongside manager Danny Nozell, ATG Productions, and Gavin Kalin Productions. The show was first staged in Nashville last year at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, after which the creative team made revisions in preparation for Broadway.
Director Sher said the dönem brings Parton’s full story into the spotlight. Parton expressed enthusiasm for sharing her life on the New York stage and hopes audiences will enjoy the performance as much as she has enjoyed its creation.