Dolly Parton’s Broadway musical will continue as planned despite her passing.
“As was Dolly’s wish, the Broadway production of Dolly: A True Original Musical will begin previews December 7 at the St. James Theatre in New York City,” producers for the musical said in a statement shared with Deadline.
The show’s official opening night will take place on January 19, 2027, which would’ve been Parton’s 81st birthday.
The biomusical had its world premiere in Parton’s hometown of Nashville in 2025, and includes a number of her classic hit singles like “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and many more.
The Nashville premiere cast starred Katie Rose Clarke, Carrie St. Louis, and Quinn Titcomb, who played Parton at different stages of her life, according to Playbill. Casting for the show’s Broadway run has yet to be announced.
TMZ reported that the country music icon was admitted to Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Thursday night (Aug. 27) due to kidney and autoimmune issues. She passed away on Tuesday morning (Aug. 25) at age 80.
Parton’s death was announced by her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, in a video shared to her Instagram.
In a video shared to her Instagram account in May, Parton said her immune and digestive systems “got all out of whack” over the past few years.
The singer sent a statement to People on Friday (August 21) in which she admitted to ignoring health issues while watching over her husband Carl, who died in March 2025 at age 82.
