B'way Update: Dolly Parton Musical

Dolly Parton
Credit: Jim Wright

Country superstar Dolly Parton will follow fellow pop music divas Cher, Tina Turner, Gloria Estefan and Donna Summer with a musical based on her life and career. Hello, I'm Dolly (not to be confused with Hello, Dolly) will feature new songs by Parton along with her hits and a book co-written by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter, who worked with the singer on TV projects like the Emmy Award-winning Christmas on the Square. The production is slated for Broadway with a target of 2026. Parton made the announcement at the CMA Fest in Nashville. The title is taken from Parton's first solo album released in 1967. Parton's career trajectory resembles that of Cher and Tina Turner--all three began their singing paths under the wing of a domineering male--Cher with Sony Bono, Tina with Ike Turner, and Dolly with Porter Waggoner. Eventually, they all emerged with vibrant solo careers and established themselves as bigger stars than their former mentors.

In a statement, Parton said, “Hello, I’m Dolly, and I lived my whole life to see this show on stage. I’ve written many original songs for the show and included all your favorites in it 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. Don’t miss it!”

"I first had the pleasure of working with Dolly Parton in 2019,” producer Adam Speers for ATG Productions (Cabaret at the Kit Kat Klub) said, “when she trusted us to develop a new version of her musical 9 to 5 for London’s West End. I had always heard she wanted to do a musical based on her life, so when she asked if I would be interested in producing it, I was bowled over. As the world knows, Dolly is a magical blend of talent, hard work, intelligence, charm, wit, and a gigantically big heart. I’m thrilled we’re going to bring her inspiring story to Broadway."

2024-25 Broadway/Off-Broadway/Awards Calendar 
Summer 2024

June 10--Drama Desk Awards (NYU Skirball)
June 10--Theater World Awards (Marquis Theater)
June 12--The Welkin (Atlantic Theater Company)
June 12--Titanic (Encores/City Center)
June 16--Tony Awards (David Koch Theater/Lincoln Center)
June 18--Pre-Existing Condition (Connelly Upstairs)
June 20--Cats (Perelman Performing Arts Center)
June 23--N/A (Mitzi Newhouse)
July 11--Oh, Mary! (Lyceum)
July 30--Job (Hayes)
Aug. 12--Once Upon a Mattress (Hudson)

Fall 2024

Sept. 12--The Roommate (Booth)

Sept. 12--Counting and Cracking (Public Theater/NYU Skirball)

Sept. 12--Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song (Theater555)

Sept. 24--Vladimir (MTC/City Center Stage I) (previews begin; opening TBA)

Sept. 29--The Hills of California (Broadhurst)

Sept. 30--MCNEAL (Vivian Beaumont/LCT)

Oct. 1--Yellowface (Roundabout/Todd Haimes)

Oct. 1--Good Bones (Public)

Oct. 9--The Counter (Roundabout/Laura Pels)

Oct. 10--Our Town (Barrymore)

Oct. 10--Deep History (Public)

Oct. 17--Maybe Happy Ending (Belasco)

Oct. 20--Sunset Boulevard (St. James)

Oct. 24--Romeo and Juliet (Circle in the Square)

Nov. 8--Gatz (Elevator Repair Service/Public)

Nov. 11--What a Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical (Studio 54)

Nov. 14--Tammy Faye (Palace)

Nov. 14--King Lear (Kenneth Branagh Theater Company/The Shed)

Nov. 21--Death Becomes Her (Lunt-Fontanne)

Nov. 25--Eureka Day (MTC/Samuel J. Friedman) (previews begin; opening TBA)

Left on Tenth

Swept Away

We Live in Cairo (NYTW)

Winter 2024-25

Dec. 19--Gypsy (Majestic)

Jan. 23--English (Roundabout/Todd Haimes Theater)

Feb. 20--Liberation (Roundabout/Laura Pels)

The Antiquities (Playwrights Horizons/Vineyard Theater)

A Knock on the Roof (NYTW)

Sumo (Ma-Yi Theater/Public)

2024-25

My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do?)

Romeo and Juliet w.Tom Holland/Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (?)

Smash

Wine in the Wilderness (CSC)

Spring 2025

March 25--Old Friends (MTC/Samuel J. Friedman) (previews begins opening TBA)

April 24--The Pirates of Penzance (Roundabout/Todd Haimes Theater)

Bowl EP (Vineyard Theater/National Black Theater)

Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp. (Public)

Good Night and Good Luck

Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole (NYTW)

Othello

The Picture of Dorian Gray (???)

Show Boat (Target Margin/NYU Skirball)

Summer 2025

Twelfth Night (Public Theater/Delacorte)

Fall 2025

Initiative (Public)

2026

Hello, I'm Dolly

Future--Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death; Beaches the Musical; Black Orpheus; BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical; Come Fall in Love--The DDLJ Musical; Crazy Rich Asians; The Devil Wears Prada; Ella: An American Miracle; Everybody's Talking About Jamie; Frida, the Musical; Game of Thrones; The Griswolds' Broadway Vacation; High Noon; Imitation of Life; The Interestings; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; The Karate Kid; La La Land; Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil; The Mousetrap; Nancy Drew and the Mystery at Spotlight Manor; Pal Joey; Purple Rain; The Queen's Gambit; Rear Window; The Nanny; The Normal Heart/The Destiny of Me; The Queen of Versailles; The Secret Garden; Sing Street; Soul Train; Stranger Things: The First Shadow; Working Girl.

2024-25 Broadway Season Breakdown

New Plays

Good Night and Good Luck

The Hills of California

Job 

Left on Tenth

MCNEAL

Oh, Mary!

The Roommate

New Musicals

Death Becomes Her

Maybe Happy Ending

Old Friends

Smash

Swept Away

Tammy Faye

What a Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical

Play Revivals

English

Eureka Day

Home

Othello

Our Town

Romeo and Juliet

Yellowface

Musical Revivals

Gypsy

Once Upon a Mattress

The Pirates of Penzance

Sunset Boulevard