Dolly Parton Broadway Musical Sets Its Lead Cast With Katie Rose Clarke As Dolly
Dolly: A True Original Musical, the upcoming Broadway production that turned out to be the late superstar’s final passion project, has set its lead cast, all handpicked by Dolly Parton herself. Katie Rose Clarke will star as Dolly Parton, reprising her role from her critically acclaimed performance in the show’s Nashville production. Carrie St. Louis, […]
Dolly Parton’s Broadway musical, "DOLLY: A True Original Musical," has announced its five lead cast members, selected by Parton herself before her passing. Katie Rose Clarke is set to reprise her role as an adult Dolly Parton from the show’s Nashville production. Carrie St. Louis will play a determined singer-songwriter Dolly trying to achieve success in the Nashville music scene, while 11-year-old Norah Nunes will portray a young Dolly.
The remaining cast members are John Behlmann as Parton’s long-time husband, Carl Dean, and Gabriel Ebert as Porter Wagoner, the country star who introduced Dolly to a national audience via his TV show.
The musical, which features hits such as "I Will Always Love You," "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," and "9 to 5," also includes new songs penned by Parton exclusively for the stage. It is set to run from December 7th, 2024, to November 21st, 2027, with preview performances at the St. James Theatre beginning on December 7th, 2024, and official opening night on January 19th, 2027, to mark what would have been Parton’s 81st birthday.
In true Dolly spirit, the producers of the musical have collaborated with the New York City Department of Education to provide 30,000 free tickets to public middle school and high school students during the show’s inaugural year on Broadway. New York City Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels expressed his excitement about the initiative, stating that the arts are integral to New York City Public Schools and that this opportunity will allow thousands of students and their families to experience Broadway for the first time.
He emphasized that Parton’s journey exemplifies the importance of talent, hard work, and believing in oneself and one's community, values that resonate with students and can inspire their dreams and careers. The musical is directed by Bartlett Sher, with a book by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter, music supervision by Stephen Oremus, music direction by Charity Wicks, and choreography by Mandy Moore.
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