DOLLY Musical Rehearsals Carry Parton’s Presence, Say Sher and Behlmann
The Broadway-bound DOLLY: A True Original Musical is scheduled to begin previews December 7 at the St. James Theatre, with opening night January 19, 2027. Director Bartlett Sher said the production includes new songs Parton wrote, while John Behlmann discussed playing her husband, Carl Dean, after her August death.
The musical is scheduled to begin Broadway previews on December 7 at the St. James Theatre, with an official opening on January 19, 2027. Bartlett Sher directs; Katie Rose Clarke, Carrie St. Louis, and Norah Nunes share the role of Parton across different periods of her life.
Parton died in August, several months after the show’s Nashville premiere. Sher said the New York version includes fresh material, including roughly two to four songs Parton wrote after that earlier run. John Behlmann portrays Carl Dean, Parton’s husband, a figure who largely avoided public attention.
The production may offer fans a communal way to mourn and celebrate Parton, while drawing theatergoers curious about her early life and marriage. Its high profile could affect winter Broadway ticket demand and give the creative team a means of honoring her final contributions. Audiences with deep ties to her music may find particular resonance in the added songs and in seeing Carl Dean depicted.