Full casting has been found for the upcoming Broadway bow of Dolly: A True Original Musical, set to begin at the St. James Theatre December 7 ahead of an official opening January 19, 2027, what would have been the 11-time Grammy winner’s 81st birthday.
As previously announced, the musical will be led by Katie Rose Clarke (Merrily We Roll Along) as Dolly Parton, Carrie St. Louis (Just in Time) as Dolly, Norah Nunes as Little Dolly, John Behlmann as Carl Dean, and Gabriel Ebert (John Proctor is the Villain) as Porter Waggoner. Newly completing the principal cast is Crystal Kellogg as Judy Ogle, Parton’s longtime friend. Clarke, St. Louis, and Behlmann will all be reprising their performances from the musical’s 2025 world premiere in Nashville.
Also newly announced for the Broadway company are Piper Allen, Bill Army, Josh Canfield, Lincoln Cohen, Ryan Demoville, Haley Fish, Sarah Hunt, Erin Kei, Evan Kinnane, Ryland J. Mar, Jenny Mollet, James Moye, Julian Ramos, Larkin Reilly, Maddie Robert, Alex Ross, and Quinn VanAntwerp. Swings Sarah Bockel, Sadie Daniels, Tiffany Engen, Michael Milkanin, and Rixey Terry will round out the company. Casting is by Jim Carnahan and Carrie Gardner.
The St. James box office will open November 9 at 10 AM ET, and the first 100 ticket buyers in line will be able to get two tickets for just $9.25 (get it?) each for select performances running January-May, 2027. Fans there that morning will also take home a free cup of Parton’s newly launched Cup of Ambition coffee.
Tony winner Bartlett Sher will direct the Broadway bow after helming the world premiere. The musical features a book by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter, to a soundtrack of some of Parton’s greatest hits and completely new tunes, including what is now some of Parton’s last work; the 11-time Grammy winner died at age 80 in August.
The show’s producers are working with the New York City Department of Education on an initiative to provide 30,000 tickets to NYC public school students for free during the first year of the musical’s run on Broadway, inspired by Parton’s lifelong commitment to inspiring children. Schools will be able to apply to attend performances as a group, and individual students will also be able to get up to two free tickets on their own, to attend with a parent or guardian. More about the program, including how to request tickets, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Dolly is Parton’s second musical theatre outing, after penning the original score to 2009’s 9 to 5. The musical was based on the film of the same name, which co-stars Parton and featured her chart-topping hit title song (which also appears in the musical).
Some of Parton’s longest musical collaborators will be on hand to shepherd the project’s music, including Richard Dennison, Parton’s background vocal arranger since 1975; and former band leader Gregg Perry, both as vocal and music arrangers. Stephen Oremus is serving as music supervisor, with Charity Wicks as music director. Orchestrations will be by John Clancy, with Kent Wells serving as a music consultant.
The production will also feature choreography by Mandy Moore, scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Jennifer Moeller, lighting design by Donald Holder, sound design by Peter Hylenski, video design by Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom, hair design by Robert Pickens, and makeup design by Studio Pickens. Michael J. Passaro will serve as production stage manager.
Parton, Danny Nozell, Adam Speers for ATG Productions, and Gavin Kalin Productions are producing. 101 Productions, Ltd.’s Marshall B. Purdy is general managing, with Michael Leibring as company manager.
Tickets are at DollyMusical.com.