Dolly Parton's Broadway Musical Will Go On as She Wished: "I Hope You Enjoy Watching as Much as I've Enjoyed Livin' It"

Dolly Parton spent years preparing to tell her life story on stage. Now, that story will make it to Broadway without her. Following the country icon's death at age 80 on August 25, producers of DOLLY: A True Original Musical confirm to PEOPLE that the autobiographical musical will proceed with its planned run and open on what would have been Parton's 81st birthday.

"As was Dolly's wish, the Broadway production of DOLLY: A True Original Musical will begin previews Dec. 7 at the St. James Theatre in New York City with opening set for Jan. 19, 2027, what would have been her 81st birthday," the production said in a statement.

A Personal Project

The musical was a deeply personal project for Parton, who co-wrote the book with Maria S. Schlatter and assembled a score combining songs from her decades-spanning catalog, including "I Will Always Love You," "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," and "9 to 5," alongside new material the singer-songwriter penned specifically for the stage. Through that score, the show traces Parton's extraordinary journey from her childhood in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to becoming one of the most beloved entertainers in the world.

That path, for those familiar with Parton's life, wasn't always easy, and the Grammy winner, who was intimately involved in developing the show, deliberately held off on putting her story onstage until she was ready to face those obstacles again. "It's got a lot of good country music in it, a lot of good country stories, but it also has a lot of the big orchestration, all the things that I've always dreamed about, having my songs and stories on stage and telling my life story," she told PEOPLE in a 2025 interview.

"I waited for a while 'til I was this old so I could tell it," Parton continued. "So, I could tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me, Lord."

The Nashville Premiere

First announced in 2024 as Hello, I'm Dolly, DOLLY: A True Original Musical had its world premiere in Nashville in 2025 with direction from Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher. Actresses Katie Rose Clarke, Carrie St. Louis, and Quinn Titcomb shared the role of Dolly during the out-of-town tryout, each depicting the icon at different stages of her rise to superstardom. Parton's humble beginnings were portrayed by Titcomb as "Little Dolly," while St. Louis, as "Dolly," covered the singer's breakout success. For Parton's legendary chapters, Clarke stars as "Dolly Parton."

It's unclear whether that trio will reprise their role in the show's Broadway run, which was officially announced in July. Casting remains unconfirmed, but the show's creative team is set: choreographer Mandy Moore, scenic designer Derek McLane, costume designer Jennifer Moeller, lighting designer Donald Holder, and sound designer Peter Hylenski.

Refining the Story

Before Broadway, Parton was hard at work, producers said, refining the musical after its out-of-town tryout in order to give audiences a deeper look at her life than ever before. "During our world premiere in Nashville, I was overwhelmed by the deep connection audiences have with Dolly," Sher said in a statement. "You mention her name, and people light up and share a time that she has inspired them and brought them joy. But despite all of that genuine love, Dolly has never really shared her story before. She's offered glimpses and peeks, but this musical allows her to reveal the unfiltered story in her own words. As we prepare to come to Broadway, we're thrilled to show that rhinestones were never her whole story."

Parton's Excitement

Parton shared her excitement about the show, too, in a release announcing the Broadway run. "My whole life has been a musical. A grand ole opera really and I can't wait to present it to you on Broadway," she said. "I hope you enjoy watching as much as I've enjoyed livin' it."

But seeing that life recreated onstage proved to be an emotional experience for Parton. "I have a lot of mixed emotions about the whole thing," she told PEOPLE in 2025, about watching the musical come together. "It was very emotional, you know, just to watch the whole thing."

"When it started, I'd cry some, and then I'd laugh some, and I'd think, 'Oh my Lord, why did I do that?' " she continued. "Or just, how did I ever have the time to do all that? So you have a lot of mixed emotions and have thoughts about every part of it."

For the actresses tasked with portraying her, working alongside Parton offered an opportunity to learn from the woman whose life they were recreating each night. Ahead of the Nashville production's opening, St. Louis told PEOPLE she was trying to absorb as much as she could from the music legend. "I'm a little sponge trying to soak it all in!" she said. "She is such an inspiration, and I'll never be able to properly express what an honor it is that she chose me to tell her story every night."

St. Louis also shared some of the trademark Dolly humor she experienced firsthand, noting that she felt so lucky to get to work with the country singer to bring the show to life. "She always says, 'You make me look good!' " St. Louis said, adding, "My favorite glam tip from Dolly is a line in the show: 'I wanna go to heaven, Mama, I just don't want to look like hell when I get there!' "

"If we were all a little more like Dolly Parton, the world would be a better place!" she added.

Parton's Final Plans

Parton's death, no doubt, came as a shock to St. Louis and everyone involved in the show. Just weeks earlier, Parton was still making plans to be in New York when the musical finally arrived. "I plan to be in New York as much as I can be while we're working on the show," she said in a video shared to the musical's page on August 11, explaining that she hoped to spend time with the creative team throughout the production's preview period.

There was one night, especially, that Parton had every intention of being there. "And of course Good Lord willing ,and the creek don't rise, I will definitely be there on the opening night," she said.

But behind the scenes, Parton was facing a health challenge that would ultimately cut that promise short. In a statement to PEOPLE on Tuesday, August 25, reps for the country star confirmed that the "Jolene" singer's death at 80 earlier in the day followed a "brief battle with cancer."

Though Parton didn't live to see DOLLY: A True Original Musical make its Broadway debut, she did experience the milestone of hearing her original compositions on the boards. The self-described "Backwoods Barbie" previously wrote the music and lyrics for 9 to 5: The Musical, the 2009 stage adaptation of her hit 1980 film, earning a Tony nomination for Best Original Score.

"It's a relief to get it done and to know that we've had our opening night," she told Broadway.com at the post-show party after watching years of work turning her movie into a stage musical finally come to fruition. "We were very, very excited. It's really like a prom night, or your graduation or something! But it was great to just actually see all the hard work and say, 'Okay, it's opening night!' It's fun to watch it."

Parton's life story will now be shared with Broadway audiences, ensuring that her legacy continues to inspire. Her wish for the show to go on has been honored, and her spirit will be felt in every performance. As she said, "I hope you enjoy watching as much as I've enjoyed livin' it."