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Dolly Parton musical to premiere in Nashville ahead of Broadway opening

By Jessica Inman
Dolly Parton announced Tuesday that her upcoming Broadway musical will premiere in Nashville first. File Photo by Ian Halperin/UPI
1 of 3 | Dolly Parton announced Tuesday that her upcoming Broadway musical will premiere in Nashville first. File Photo by Ian Halperin/UPI | License Photo

Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Dolly Parton's new musical is set to premiere in Nashville ahead of its 2026 Broadway run.

The 79-year-old country music icon announced Tuesday that her show, Dolly: An Original Musical, will begin previews July 18 at Belmont University's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.

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The "rags to rhinestones story" of Parton's life will officially open at the venue Aug. 8. Tickets are on sale now.

"I am Tennessee born and raised, and Nashville has been my musical home for over 60 years," Parton said in a press release. "So, this is the right and perfect place to present the world premiere of my life story as a musical."

The Country Music Hall of Fame inductee penned songs and co-wrote the book for the musical, which includes fan favorites and never-before-heard tracks.

The production reunites Parton and Maria Schlatter, who worked together on Netflix's Christmas on the Square.

The preparation for the show coincides with the rollout of Dolly U, which was described in a press release as "an immersive educational experience" that facilitates student participation "in aspects of the production, working alongside the musical's professional cast, creative, and producing teams."

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Program participants have already had been a part of the casting process in "The Search for Dolly" that kicked off in December.

Dolly Parton's career: Music, red carpets and style

Dolly Parton, who founded the "Imagination Library" in her native Sevier County in Tennessee, attends a function at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on March 23, 2000. Parton was in town to pick up an award from the Association of American Publishers for her efforts to promote literacy. Her five-year-old program has already donated 150,000 books to the county's children. Photo by Joel Rennich/UPI | License Photo

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