Dolly Parton is turning her 81st birthday into a full-on Broadway event. Her autobiographical show, Dolly: A True Original Musical, is set to open on Jan. 19, 2027, Parton’s birthday, after beginning previews on Dec. 7, 2026, at Manhattan’s St. James Theatre. The production will mix Parton’s classic hits with brand-new songs she has written for the stage, and with fan presales plus a Capital One presale rolling out in early July, the earliest blocks of seats are expected to go fast.
When and how to get tickets
According to DollyMusical.com, fan presale access and an eligible Capital One presale start Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET and run through Friday at 9:59 a.m. ET. General onsale for the public opens Friday at 10 a.m. ET, and the site notes that presale offers are valid only while supplies last, so procrastinators have been warned.
What to expect onstage
The musical will trace Parton’s life and career through her songbook, stretching from “Coat of Many Colors” to “9 to 5,” while folding in new material written specifically for the show. Parton is cowriting the book with Maria S. Schlatter. “My whole life has been a musical,” Parton said in a statement on DollyMusical.com, and the creative team says the goal is to tell the more personal story tucked behind all the rhinestones.
From Nashville to New York
The show had its world premiere in Nashville in 2025, where it played to sold-out houses, a run producers point to as proof the piece is Broadway-ready. As reported by CBS News New York, that home-state debut helped pave the way for the move to Broadway.
Creative team and Broadway context
Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher is set to direct the Broadway production, which will begin previews on Dec. 7, 2026, before officially opening on Jan. 19, 2027, at the St. James Theatre. Broadway.com notes that Mandy Moore will choreograph, supported by a design team drawn from recent Broadway work, and points to Parton’s previous stage success providing the score for 9 to 5: The Musical.
What Manhattan theatergoers should know
Local theater fans can expect brisk sales for the early performances and tight availability during the holiday preview stretch. Both CBS News New York and the show’s ticketing page recommend signing up for priority access and confirming Capital One presale eligibility before the general onsale. Per CBS News, anyone aiming for opening night or those first preview weeks will want to be ready to click in as soon as presales begin.
