Dolly Parton brings life story and hits to Broadway in new musical

Tickets for Dolly Parton’s Broadway musical go on pre-sale at 10 a.m. ET today, as previews are set to begin Dec. 7, 2026 at the St. James Theatre in New York City. Dolly: A True Original Musical will open Jan. 19, 2027, Parton’s 81st birthday, and play only at 246 West 44th Street. General public sales begin July 10 at 10 a.m. ET.

The production is built around Parton’s own life story and the songs that made her one of the most recognizable figures in American music. The show will include 9 to 5, I Will Always Love You, Jolene and Coat of Many Colors, along with new songs Parton wrote specifically for the stage. Parton co-wrote the book with two-time Emmy Award winner Maria S. Schlatter, and Bartlett Sher is directing the Broadway version.

The Broadway move follows a sold-out world premiere at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville. That run began previews on July 18, 2025, and opened Aug. 8, 2025, giving the show a tested audience before it reaches New York. For Broadway, that matters: Parton’s catalog already carries built-in recognition, and the transfer lands squarely in a market that depends on tourism, brand familiarity and titles that can draw theatergoers who may not otherwise buy a ticket for a new musical.

Parton first announced the project in June 2024 at CMA Fest under the title Hello, I’m Dolly, saying she had tried for years to turn her life story into a musical and describing it as a kind of “Grand Ole Opera.” By July 2026, the production had been retitled Dolly: A True Original Musical, signaling a clearer Broadway identity for a show that aims to be both a biography and a commercial event.

The production is being mounted by Parton, Danny Nozell, Adam Speers for ATG Productions and Gavin Kalin, with the St. James as its only home. That combination of a proven director, a sold-out Nashville tryout and a birthday opening gives the show the hallmarks of a major Broadway bet, one aimed at audiences who know Parton’s name, her songs and the persona she has spent decades turning into a durable American brand.