With music by Dolly Parton and direction by nine-time Tony Award nominee Bartlett Sher, Dolly: An Original Musical will will play a four-week limited engagement in Nashville this summer before arriving on Broadway in 2026.
The announcement was made today by Parton herself, appearing on the stage of the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville. The world premiere musical will begin previews at the Fisher on Friday, July 18 ahead on an August 8 opening night. The limited engagement will play its final performance on Sunday, August 17.
A Broadway run is set for 2026. Casting, additional creative team members, and other details for the world premiere of Dolly: An Original Musical at the Fisher Center will be announced in the coming weeks.
“I am Tennessee born and raised, and Nashville has been my musical home for over 60 years,” Parton said today. “So, this is the right and perfect place to present the world premiere of my life story as a musical. Right here in Nashville, at the beautiful Belmont University’s Fisher Center.”
This will mark the first time the Fisher Center will host the world premiere of a new musical featuring a cast and creative team of professional artists.
Dolly: An Original Musical will feature a score by Parton that will include some of her biggest hits as well as new songs she has written especially for the musical. The musical will feature a book by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter, with Sher directing. The musical is produced by Parton, Danny Nozell, ATG Productions, and Gavin Kalin Productions.
Additionally, Parton, Dolly: An Original Musical, CTK Enterprises, and Belmont University announced the launch of the Dolly U, an immersive educational experience that will begin with a focus on the creation of the musical’s world premiere. The initial Dolly U allows students opportunities to participate in aspects of the production, working alongside the musical’s professional cast, creative, and producing teams, as it is developed and premieres at the Fisher Center this summer.
In addition, new project-based courses are being offered during the spring semester in subjects such as marketing, brand partnerships, and merchandising, providing students hands-on opportunities with the musical while receiving course credit.
The projects in this first year will serve as a pilot for additional courses and connections between Belmont, Dolly Parton, and CTK Enterprises in the future, as Dolly U expands in reach and impact.
