Dolly Parton musical 'Hello, I'm Dolly' to premiere on Broadway in 2026

The multi-award-winning musician co-wrote the show inspired by her life, which also features her greatest hits and new songs from her celebrated career.

UPDATE: Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher has been announced to direct the Dolly Parton musical Hello, I'm Dolly. The musical will premiere at Belmont University's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts ahead of Broadway, with performances starting on 18 July for a four-week run.

Hello, Dolly! A Dolly Parton musical titled Hello, I'm Dolly will come to Broadway in 2026, with a theatre and dates to be announced.

“Hello, I’m Dolly, and I lived my whole life to see this show on stage," Parton said in a statement. "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."

Hello, I'm Dolly is named after Parton's debut album from 1967. The show, with a script by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter, is inspired by her life and career.

The singer of country hits including "Jolene" and "9 to 5" has 11 Grammy Awards (out of 52 nominations), including the Lifetime Achievement Award; 10 Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year; five Academy of Country Music Awards; four People's Choice Awards; and three American Music Awards. She is an inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Parton has been represented on Broadway twice before, having written songs for the musicals 9 to 5 (inspired by the Parton-led movie) and Candles, Snow & Mistletoe. Adam Speers for ATG Productions, with whom she worked on a 2019 production of 9 to 5 in London's West End, is among Hello, I'm Dolly's co-producers alongside Parton.

"As the world knows, Dolly is a magical blend of talent, hard work, intelligence, charm, wit, and a gigantically big heart," Speers said in a statement. "I’m thrilled we’re going to bring her inspiring story to Broadway.”

Explaining her motivations for writing the musical at a special event at Belmont University, Parton said: "I've always wanted to do my life story as a musical. And I just thought I wanted to see it done while I'm still around to oversee it. It was something I needed to do, and certainly something I wanted to do."

She added that her favourite song in the musical is new and titled "I Wouldn't Be Here If You Hadn't Been There." The new number will also close the show.

The musical launched a nationwide search for its cast, which is ongoing. Commenting on the casting process, Parton added: "We got some absolutely great people, we had drag queens, we had all kinds of people playing Dolly. We really hope to find just the right people, we'll be announcing pretty soon. We appreciate all the people who have applied for the job, because it's a hard job."

Additional creative team members for Hello, I'm Dolly are also yet to be announced.

Photo credit: Dolly Parton. (Photo courtesy of Dolly Parton; photo by Jim Wright)