Katie Rose Clarke will star as Dolly Parton in Dolly: A True Original Musical when the show opens on Broadway, the production announced. Clarke is reprising the role after earning acclaim for her performance in the musical’s Nashville production, according to Deadline.
The casting marks the first wave of lead performers for what turned out to be Parton’s final passion project before her death. Every actor in the lineup was handpicked by Parton herself, according to Deadline.
The role and the ensemble cast with Katie Rose Clarke
Clarke takes on the title role of Parton, while Carrie St. Louis will play a character also named Dolly, described as the ambitious singer-songwriter trying to break into the Nashville music scene. St. Louis took part in some of the musical’s earliest readings and recently finished a run on Broadway in “Just In Time,” according to Deadline.
Eleven-year-old Norah Nunes, a finalist from the show’s “Search for Dolly” open casting call, will play Little Dolly. John Behlmann, a Grammy nominee, joins the cast as Carl Dean, Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years. Tony Award winner Gabriel Ebert will play Porter Wagoner, the country star who introduced Parton to a national television audience.
The project so far
Dolly: A True Original Musical premiered last year in Nashville, Parton’s hometown, and traces her life story in her own words and through her music. The score mixes new music written by Parton with hits including “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “9 to 5,” according to Deadline.
Parton wrote the musical’s book alongside two-time Emmy winner Maria S. Schlatter, her past collaborator on the Netflix film “Christmas on the Square.” The creative team also includes music supervisor Stephen Oremus, a two-time Tony and Grammy winner; music director Charity Wicks; orchestrator John Clancy; and musical consultant Kent Wells. Richard Dennison and Gregg Perry, both longtime Parton collaborators, round out the music team handling vocal and music arrangements.
Parton produced the show with Danny Nozell, along with Adam Speers for ATG Productions and Gavin Kalin Productions, according to Deadline.
What’s next
Dolly: A True Original Musical begins previews at Broadway’s St. James Theatre on Monday, Dec. 7. The official opening is set for Jan. 19, 2027, the date that would have been Parton’s 81st birthday. Additional casting and production details will be announced in the coming weeks, according to Deadline.
Reporting from Deadline contributed to this story.
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