When it comes to Dolly Parton, nothing—not even health challenges—seems to slow her down. The country music icon, businesswoman, and cultural powerhouse is pressing ahead with the development of her much-anticipated Broadway bio-musical, Dolly: A True Original Musical, even as she takes time off from performing to address personal health matters.
Earlier this week, Parton announced that she would be postponing her December concert residency in Las Vegas, originally scheduled to run at Caesars Palace from December 4–16. In a statement, she revealed that she has “been dealing with some health challenges” and that doctors advised her to undergo “a few procedures.” While the six-show engagement has been moved to September 2026, her representatives emphasized that her musical’s Broadway journey remains firmly on track.
“The news from the weekend will not affect our development process or timeline for production,” a spokesperson confirmed. That reassurance was welcome news to fans who have been eagerly awaiting the chance to see Parton’s life story brought to the stage in grand Broadway fashion.
The show had its world premiere this July at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Belmont University in Nashville, where it played to sold-out houses and enthusiastic audiences. The production is currently slated for a 2026 Broadway debut, though producers—including Parton herself—have yet to set an exact date.
Dolly: A True Original Musical promises to be more than just a jukebox of her greatest hits. With a book co-written by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter and direction by Bartlett Sher, the musical traces her rags-to-riches journey from her barefoot childhood in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains to her glittering career under the bright lights of Hollywood. Along the way, audiences will hear classics like “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” “9 to 5,” and “Coat of Many Colors,” alongside brand-new songs written by Parton specifically for the show.
In Nashville, audiences were treated to a unique storytelling format: three different actresses played Parton at different stages of her life. Rose Clarke (Merrily We Roll Along) portrayed the adult Parton, Carrie St. Louis (Kinky Boots) took on the role of a younger Dolly, and Quinn Titcomb (Theater Camp) played “Little Dolly.” John Behlmann (Shucked, Tootsie) played Carl Dean, Parton’s famously private late husband.
Even as she takes a step back from live performance, Parton continues to receive accolades. This November, she will be honored with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy’s Governors Awards, a recognition of her decades of philanthropy, including her Imagination Library literacy program, which has provided millions of free books to children around the world. Though she won’t attend the ceremony in person, her influence and legacy will be front and center.
For fans, the message is clear: Dolly Parton’s voice, vision, and heart remain as strong as ever. The Broadway-bound musical is poised to deliver not just a night of nostalgia, but a moving story of resilience, triumph, and trailblazing—a reflection of the superstar herself.