Broadway casting agents are combing through submissions to find the perfect actresses to play Dolly Parton on stage. Parton has penned a Broadway musical about her journey, and now the search is on for performers who can play the iconic country singer at all ages and stages of her life.
Dolly Parton Is Looking for Someone Special
Parton says she’s looking for talented performers “who can capture the spirit of my journey, whether you’re an experienced theater professional or an undiscovered gem with that little special something.”
The musical, originally titled “Hello, I’m Dolly,” has been rechristened “Dolly: An Original Musical.” It will be under the direction of Tony Award-winning Bartlett Sher, described by The New York Times as one of America’s “most original and exciting directors.” Parton herself penned the musical alongside Maria S. Schlatter, who co-wrote the TV movie “Christmas on the Square” with the singer. But the songs in the show are Dolly’s alone.
Parton says, “I’ve lived my whole life to see this show on stage. I’ve written many original songs for the show and included all your favorites as well. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll clap, you’ll stomp, it truly is a Grand Ol’ Opera. Pun and fun intended.”
Check Out the Auditions for the Next Dolly Parton
Thousands of eager Dolly wannabes recorded a video of themselves singing one minute of their favorite Dolly Parton song, uploading it to social media channels with the hashtag #SearchForDolly. And January 12 was D-Day, or make that Double-D Day, when the application process closed. Check out the show’s website to see all of the contenders looking to fill Dolly’s high heels.
Those chosen to audition in person will be flown to New York City for the official tryouts. No opening date has been announced for “Dolly: The Original Musical,” but it’s expected to take the stage sometime in 2026.
Will it feature any big-name stars? No word on that, but in a 2020 interview with RuPaul for Marie Claire, Parton said she thought Kristin Chenoweth would do a great job playing her.
Dolly Parton’s Musical Joins a Long List of Recent Projects
The show takes Dolly fans all the way back to the singer’s famously humble beginnings in Sevier County, Tennessee, where Dolly Rebecca Parton grew up as the fourth of 12 children in a one-room cabin in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
After high school, Parton headed for the big city of Nashville, where she quickly found success in the cast of “The Porter Wagoner Show.” From there, her star kept rising, establishing her as the true legend she is today.
And she’s not slowing down. Parton turned 79 on January 19th, but some would say she’s busier than ever. In the past year alone, Parton has published a cookbook with her youngest sister, launched a wine label and her own makeup and jewelry lines and released an album of songs performed with her immediate and extended family called “Smoky Mountain DNA.”
In November, Billboard named Parton the Greatest Country Artist of All Time. This year, symphony orchestras across the country will perform Parton’s new symphonic concert, “Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony,” debuting in Nashville March 20.
Ever the multi-tasker, Parton keeps her hand in all of her ventures, her Dollywood theme park and her Imagination Library charity. The one thing the singer does NOT have on her to-do list? Parton says she will not tour again, choosing to stay closer to home with her husband of almost 60 years.
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Hello Dolly! Who Will Be the Next Dolly Parton?