The Search for Dolly Parton

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 12:23pm

Dolly said three women will play her, little dolly, earlier years Dolly, and an older Dolly.  She said she hopes to get the show to Broadway by late 2025. 
 

Find Dolly Contest

[Wick3]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 1:04pm

I hope it works out but somehow the 3 Dollys structure reminded me of the Cher Show.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 1:20pm

Wick3 said: "I hope it works out but somehow the 3 Dollys structure reminded me of the Cher Show."

And Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 1:40pm

Yeah I kind of hoped this isn’t the route that would be taken.  And as for a search for Dolly. Maybe for young Dolly. But please not middle and mature.   I’m really hoping now for megyn hilty and Kristin Chenoweth pairing or something like that with Chenoweth 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 1:53pm

They already did a “Search For Dolly” contest for the West End production of 9 To 5. This would actually be more interesting a show, I would think. 

[binau]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 2:00pm

I am the only one that reads Dolly and immediately thinks ‘dolly levi?’ I’m finding it impossible to unlearn/unwind this association. IN BROADWAY THEATRE THERE IS ONLY ONE DOLLYYYYYY. 

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 2:26pm

nasty_khakis said: "Wick3 said: "I hope it works out but somehow the 3 Dollys structure reminded me of the Cher Show."

AndSummer: The Donna Summer Musical"

 

It is also being done in MJ The Musical.

 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 2:45pm

I don’t like the three different actor thing.  It’s hard to get invested in the character. Just cast one person in the role. 

[pmensky]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 4:30pm

Doing a bio musical that covers the time period from her childhood to present day sounds very tedious and more appropriate for Branson than Broadway. It would be more interesting and entertaining using one actress and focusing on the period of her life beginning when she first arrived on the music scene in the mid 1960s to when she became a household name in the early 80s. 

[BETTY22]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 4:44pm

These type of shows have become a foundation from Broadway.

It get it, audience knows the songs and usually the story before they step foot into the theatre. 

Plus, Dolly has a huge international fan base. 

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 5:20pm

It will be search for Barbra next[her book was boring enough]. Personally I don't want the life and drama of a singer, I just want to listen to their songs. I'd rather have a fictional story with the songs woven into it like Mamma Mia. I can't watch the decline of the great[Whitney], I just want their music.[Yes I live in fairyland].

[Wick3]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 5:51pm

pmensky said: "Doing a bio musical that covers the time period from her childhood to present day sounds very tedious and more appropriate for Branson than Broadway. It would be more interesting and entertaining using one actress and focusing on the period of her life beginning when she first arrived on the music scene in the mid 1960s to when she became a household name in the early 80s."

 

agreed or have it be 2 musicals (one focusing on her younger days up to 1980s) and if that’s successful, do another one that’s from that time period to today.

From what I recall, Beautiful only had 1 actress as Carole King? Or were there two?

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 6:00pm

I think the life and times bio musical structure is boring and having a narrator really grinds everything to a stall. I like the idea of picking just one big moment from their career and exploring that. Or sort of the device being used in MJ is an interesting take (thought I've not seen it)

[Ke3]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 6:03pm

Someone once commented that Fun Home's most lasting legacy is the use of three actresses to play the same character over time in a musical. I know it wasn't exactly dragging 'em into the theatre but isn't 9 to 5 like one of the most produced musicals in the world now? The woman writes something like 6 songs a day, she can't crank out a score? 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 7:13pm

She’s been doing a lot of covers recently. 

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 8:43pm

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "They already did a “Search For Dolly” contest for the West End production of 9 To 5. This would actually be more interesting a show, I would think."

Did they? I have absolutely no recollection of that. Especially since they went and cast a seasoned West End performer in the role. 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 1/30/24 at 9:25am

Damn my memory - It was a special on casting for the Judy role, not Dolly. It was called “Amber & Dolly” and followed Amber Davies’ journey to the West End premiere and her going to Tennessee to meet Dolly. She was from reality television and went in to do the UK Tour after as well. I stand corrected!

This current concept though, sounds interesting for a television mini-doc series. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/30/24 at 9:44am

 

[BJR]

Posted: 1/30/24 at 12:22pm

What's strikes me as odd about this concept is I don't think mid career Dolly and Dolly now as being that different. As least Cher or Donna or Michael had 3 very distinct personas, though Donna's was a girl none of us knew and Michael's and Cher's were famous.

Maybe a child Dolly would be powerful for her upbringing in the Smoky Mountains, but young performer Dolly isn't so different from 70 yo Dolly...

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 1/30/24 at 6:23pm

D, DD, and DDD