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Dolly Parton is embracing a new chapter in her career.
After canceling her planned Las Vegas residency due to health concerns, the 80-year-old music icon has unveiled a surprise new project, signaling she has no plans to slow down despite recent setbacks.
Following a sold-out engagement in Nashville last summer, DOLLY: A True Original Musical is heading to Broadway, where previews will start December 7 at the St. James Theatre.
The country superstar, who needs only a Tony Award to complete an EGOT, wrote the music and script for the production while also producing it.
Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher and choreographer Mandy Moore lead the creative team.
The show's official opening is planned for January 19, which also marks Parton's 81st birthday.
Ticket presales begin Wednesday morning, ahead of the general public sale on Friday at 10 a.m. ET.
“Now, this isn't a story about sparkle and shine on the outside,” Parton said in a video.
She added, “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 and told it in my own words and through the music that's been part of me every step of the journey.”
Parton went on to say, “Now, the musical has some of my big hits plus a lot of brand new songs that I've written just for the show. This really is a dream come true...and I can't wait to share it with all of you!”
DOLLY: A True Original Musical invites audiences to experience the story behind one of country music's most enduring stars “from her barefoot beginnings in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee to performing in platform heels under the bright lights of Hollywood.”
Parton recently canceled her six-date Dolly: Live in Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace's Colosseum.
Dolly Parton cancelled her Vegas residency.
Earlier this year, she revealed she has long struggled with kidney stones and said her immune and digestive systems had been "out of whack" for the past three years.
However, Parton shared that she is responding well to treatment and continues to improve each day.
