Dolly Parton makes exciting career announcement following health setback
- By Umaima Amir -
- Jul 08, 2026
Dolly Parton is turning the page on a challenging chapter with an exciting new career milestone as she announced that her long-awaited stage musical, Dolly: A True Original Musical, is officially heading to Broadway.
The 80-year-old country music icon shared the news in a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday, revealing that the production will tell the story of her life through her own words and the songs that have defined her extraordinary career.
“Now, this isn’t about a story about sparkle and shine on the outside,” Parton said in the video. “It’s about where I really come from, what I’ve lived, what I’ve lost, what I’ve loved, and how I’ve found my way.”
The Grammy-winning singer explained that the musical will feature a mix of brand-new songs alongside fan favorites, including Jolene, I Will Always Love You, 9 to 5 and Coat of Many Colors.
Calling the production a “dream come true,” Parton said she is eager to share the project with audiences, although she will not be performing in the show herself.
Directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, Dolly: A True Original Musical will begin preview performances in New York this December before officially opening on Jan. 19, 2027 – Parton’s 81st birthday. Presale tickets become available on Wednesday.
The Broadway announcement comes just months after Parton gave fans a candid update on her health while postponing her planned Dolly: Live in Las Vegas residency.
In a video shared in May, the singer said she had “some good news and a little bad news,” explaining that while she was responding well to medication and treatment, she still needed more time before returning to live performances.
“The bad news is it’s gonna take a little while until I’m up to stage performance level,” she told fans.