Dolly Parton Broadway Bio Musical aiming for Spring 2025- Page 4

[getatme]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 10:39pm

The title of the open call "The Search for Dolly" was certainly misleading. The actual fine print while mentioning looking for actors to play Dolly at all ages of her life only promised actors the "chance to audition for a role in the show." Was it creative word choice to maybe sell the idea that someone chosen would play Dolly? Sure. But I think it's incredibly likely that the 15 finalists were well aware they were auditioning for ensemble and/or understudies in the show.

Carrie has been involved in readings of the show for a few years, and if they didn't have enough 40+ year old women or 13 and younger year old girls audition, what were they supposed to do exactly?

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 5/7/25 at 8:35am

It is worth noting that two of the finalists in the open search have been cast in the show, but we don’t know in what capacity. 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 6/5/25 at 11:06am

John Zdorjeski, Jacob Fishel, Tabitha Lawing, Beth Malone, Danny Wolohan, and more join the cast

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 7/10/25 at 3:09pm

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/10/25 at 3:56pm

Was an actor announced to play Carl and then fired? Curious about this situation since the show has been in rehearsal in Nashville for several weeks. 

[jlindsey865]

Posted: 7/10/25 at 3:59pm

For obvious reasons, I understand why this is premiering in Nashville. However, I lived there for a decade, and it’s not exactly a theatre town. Even the few professional theatres struggle to fill seats — even for typically popular shows like Joseph, Mamma Mia, or Beauty and the Beast. That said, with Dolly’s star power and deep roots in the area, maybe this one will break through. Excited to see it come to NYC!

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/10/25 at 4:05pm

jlindsey865 said: "For obvious reasons, I understand why this is premiering in Nashville. However, I lived there for a decade, andit’s not exactly a theatre town. Even the few professional theatres struggle to fill seats — even for typically popular shows like Joseph, Mamma Mia, or Beauty and the Beast. That said, with Dolly’s star power and deep roots in the area, maybe this one will break through. Excited to see it come to NYC!"

Yeah I wonder how that process is going from a tech and production standpoint. It’s a stunning new performing arts facility within Belmont University that is probably trying to break into the touring and pre-Bway space, but they’ve never done a theatre production remotely close to this profile. 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 7/10/25 at 4:06pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Was an actor announced to play Carl and then fired? Curious about this situation since the show has been in rehearsal in Nashville for several weeks."

If there was, he was never announced. The original Dolly casting announcement came May 5:

https://playbill.com/article/dolly-musical-finds-its-dolly-partons

On June 5 they announced much of the rest of the cast, with no mention of Carl but that "additional casting" would be announced:

https://playbill.com/article/beth-malone-more-board-broadway-aimed-dolly-parton-musical

 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 7/10/25 at 4:07pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Was an actor announced to play Carl and then fired? Curious about this situation since the show has been in rehearsal in Nashville for several weeks."

 

John Behlmann had done most of the readings and workshops over the last few years, and was always intended to continue on with the show.  Apparently he had an out for SMASH -- but when that closed early, it freed him up to do the Nashville production.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/10/25 at 6:01pm

I don't normally see jukebox musicals but would see this for John. Knew him and have followed him since he graduated from the NTC here in Denver. I have seen him in 3 shows in NYC.

[bpstar]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 9:50am

I think this one will do just fine, seeing that it is virtually sold out on most dates and already extended. I'm seeing the third preview and cannot wait!

[KrupYou]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 10:28am

I love Dolly...but i think im over these bio musicals. Althuogh Neil Dimond is doing great biz on the road

[THDavis]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 1:23pm

Carrie St. Louis gets me really excited for this show, I adore Katie Rose Clarke, and John Behlmann is a Broadway crush of mine - this show will definitely get me in the theatre. I’m expecting the same overall satisfaction I had with Cher Show, but perhaps I’m oversimplifying due to the casting/characters. (I enjoyed Cher Show quite a bit on Broadway and thought it was in pretty good shape on tour - a fun time, not a perfect show.)

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 1:27pm

This is one of those shows where the quality really doesn't matter. It will come to Broadway, it might or might not make money, and then it will play forever on tour and internationally and regionally.

Updated On: 7/11/25 at 01:27 PM

[shomeika]

Posted: 7/18/25 at 12:15pm

Is anyone going to this tonight?  Previews start this evening. I am driving up from ATL to see it in a few weeks.  I will be curious as to peoples thoughts on this.  

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 7/18/25 at 7:27pm

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 7/18/25 at 9:21pm

Why do they have Katie Rose Clarke looking more like this bìtch from Mars Attacks

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/18/25 at 9:23pm

Please get someone to style that lol

[TheatreMonkey]

Posted: 7/18/25 at 9:26pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Why do they have Katie Rose Clarkelooking more like this bìtch from Mars Attacks"

Literally came here to say the same thing. Once you see it, you can't unsee it. 

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 7/19/25 at 12:17am

TheatreMonkey said: "Call_me_jorge said: "Why do they have Katie Rose Clarkelooking more like this bìtch from Mars Attacks"

Literally came here to say the same thing. Once you see it, you can't unsee it."

Marge Simpson just called .  She wants her hayer back.

[emilyfaye48]

Posted: 7/19/25 at 3:49am

What time period/era is Katie's Dolly supposed to represent? The wig doesn't look full enough on the bottom half, but it is pretty similar to how Dolly's wigs have been in recent years. And also, let's be real, the breasts are not the right proportion. Dolly has an iconic silhouette that is pretty intrinsic to her brand. I did not need to open that link to know exactly what was being referenced lol I honestly think if they padded her breasts more she'd look less like our martian friend

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/19/25 at 10:29am

Releasing these photos is one of the greatest blunders of producing and press strategy I’ve seen in a long time. Not to mention a failure of direction and design — but the producers at least had the ability to hold photos until the show was in better shape. Now the whole comms strategy will have to be built around combatting this pic.

(The offending costume and wig designers, btw, are Jen Moeller and Rob Pickens.)

Also, if part of the gimmick of the show is that the title character has the real Dolly’s body type, why on earth cast women whose bodies are entirely different? 

This looks worse than a theme park show. It looks like a parody. 

[Kad]

Posted: 7/19/25 at 10:35am

I’m glad I’m not alone in thinking Katie Rose Clark does not resemble Dolly at all. Not that she has to be identical, of course, but this is definitely giving more celebrity impersonator on the streets of Hollywood rather than Broadway-bound production. 

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 7/19/25 at 10:41am

"They could do far worse than the likes of Carrie St. Louis, Kerry Butler, and (allegedly, please tell me I'm wrong) Kelli O'Hara in workshops."

I saw Carrie St. Louis in "Rock of Ages" bunch of years ago and she was great!!

[Jg2019]

Posted: 7/19/25 at 10:55am

Saw the show last night snd it ran three hours. Obviously, it’s a work in progress but it has a lot of heart. KRC really surprised me, especially in act two, she sounded just like Dolly. Here’s the song list

Act one:

"Opening"

"My Mountains, My Home"

"Bigger Than Life"

"Partners"

"Thy Will Be Done/If I Had Wings"

"Uncle Billy"

"Puppy Love"

"The Opry"

"Yodel-Lay-Dee-He"

"Yodel-Lay-Dee-He Encore"

"God, Sex And Music"

"Down On Music Row"

"Tennessee Mountain Home"

"Look Out World (Pt 1)"

"Put It Off Until Tomorrow"

"Look Out World (Pt 2)"

"Mashville"

"Just Because I'm A Woman"

"Star"

"Dumb Blonde"

"I'm-A-Thinkin'

"Coat Of Many Colors"

"Horny On A Runaway Bus"

"The Bridge"

 

Act Two:

"Worst And Best"

"Jolene"

"Songbird"

"From Here To The Moon And Back"

"I Will Always Love You"

"Light Of A Clear Blue Morning"

"From Here To The Moon And Back Reprise"

"Here You Come Again"

"Nine To Five"

"The Sacrifice"

"What Is It, My Love?"

"Go To Hell"

"Partners Reprise"

"Just Someone I Used To Know"

"If You Hadn't Been There"