Dolly Biomusical Opens on Broadway Jan. 19, 2027 as Parton Marks 81st Birthday

Q: Beyond the hits, what untold stories from Dolly's life will her new Broadway musical finally reveal?

It is expected to reveal the parts of Dolly Parton’s life that her public image has often softened: her poverty-stricken Smoky Mountains childhood, the personal losses and loves that shaped her, the setbacks and stumbles behind her rise, and the choices that defined her beyond fame. Parton has said the show will be “true in every sense of the word,” covering her “origins, experiences, losses, loves, and how I found my way.” Director Bartlett Sher has framed it as more than a jukebox celebration, saying audiences will see the full person behind the icon and that “rhinestones were never her whole story.” That suggests the musical will focus less on familiar legend and more on the emotional and practical journey from “barefoot beginnings” in East Tennessee to global stardom: how she dreamed, dared, struggled, and ultimately succeeded. The production is also expected to explore the values that became central to her career — kindness, resilience, humor, and giving back — including the conscious decisions that shaped her public and private life. What remains untold in specific scene-by-scene terms is still under wraps; casting for Broadway has not yet been announced, and producers have not released a detailed plot summary. But based on Parton’s own description and the Nashville run, the musical’s promise is clear: not just the hitmaker’s greatest songs, but the harder, more intimate story of the woman who wrote and lived them.

Q: Will one actress portray Dolly Parton, or will the Broadway show use multiple actors like Nashville?

It is not yet officially confirmed whether Broadway will use one actress or multiple performers to play Dolly Parton. What is known is that the Nashville world premiere used multiple actresses to portray Parton at different stages of her life: Carrie St. Louis, Katie Rose Clarke and Quinn Titcomb played her, with Kathlynn Rodin as an understudy. That structure fits the show’s autobiographical format, which traces Parton from childhood through adulthood. For the Broadway run at the St. James Theatre, producers have said casting and other production details will be announced later. No official Broadway cast list has been released, and there has been no formal statement confirming whether the Nashville multi-actress approach will remain unchanged. Based on the Nashville production, multiple actresses appear more likely than a single performer. But until the Broadway casting announcement is made, that remains an informed expectation rather than a confirmed fact.

Q: After its Nashville success, what key changes will Dolly's musical make for its Broadway debut?

For Broadway, Dolly Parton’s musical is being reworked rather than simply transferred from Nashville, with the main change being a refined, deeper version of the story. Producers said the team is using what it learned from the sold-out Nashville world premiere to “shape the show and deepen the storytelling,” so the Broadway production more fully captures Parton’s life beyond her public image. That fits Parton’s own description of the show as an “unfiltered” account of her origins, losses, loves and career, told in her own words. The Broadway version also comes with some notable creative updates. Stephen Oremus has been added as music supervisor, and Mandy Moore is confirmed as choreographer, alongside director Bartlett Sher. The show will still blend Parton classics such as “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “Coat of Many Colors” with new songs written for the musical. One other major difference is that casting for Broadway has not yet been announced. In Nashville, Parton was played at different ages by Carrie St. Louis, Katie Rose Clarke and Quinn Titcomb, but the Broadway cast remains to be revealed.

3 articles · Updated · Playbill · Jul 7

January 19, 2027 is set as the Broadway opening night for DOLLY: A True Original Musical at the St. James Theatre, with previews beginning December 7.
July 8 marks the start of presales for fans and eligible Capital One cardholders, while general ticket sales open July 10; casting has not yet been announced.
Bartlett Sher returns to direct after the Nashville world premiere, and the show pairs Parton's classic songs with new music in a book by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter.
The Broadway run becomes Parton's second major stage project after 9 to 5, bringing what producers call her fuller, self-told life story to New York.