Global Superstar Dolly Parton, CTK Enterprises, ATG Productions and Gavin Kalin Productions, announce today the World Premiere of DOLLY: AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL. Previewing in Nashville at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts beginning July 18, the multi-week run includes an August 8 official premiere. Tickets for the engagement are available now at www.dollymusical.com. Following this summer’s world premiere at the Fisher Center, the production will head to Broadway in 2026.
DOLLY: AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL is produced by Parton, Danny Nozell, ATG Productions and Gavin Kalin Productions. With music by Parton that will include some of her biggest hits as well as new songs she has written especially for the musical, and a book by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter, the musical is directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher. As part of this partnership, the musical will be brought to life and built at Belmont University in the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.
Parton said, “I am Tennessee born and raised, and Nashville has been my musical home for over 60 years. So, this is the right and perfect place to present the world premiere of my life story as a musical. Right here in Nashville at the beautiful Belmont University’s Fisher Center.”
Tickets for DOLLY: AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL, with prices starting at just $40, are on sale now at www.dollymusical.com or by calling the Fisher Center Box Office at 615.460.2255.
This will mark the first time the Fisher Center will host the world premiere of a new musical featuring a cast and creative team of professional artists. Additional information about DOLLY: AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL, including casting and additional members of the design team will be announced soon.
Also announced today is DOLLY U, a first-of-its-kind partnership that will cultivate a transformative and immersive educational experience for students across a variety of disciplines. This initiative will celebrate and amplify the life and music of Dolly Parton—which is still being written. The program will foster creativity, innovation and character development in a rising generation of entertainment and community leaders.
DOLLY U officially launches with several collaborative projects and interdisciplinary initiatives connected to DOLLY: AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL. Centered around the musical, the initial DOLLY U Fellowship Program allows six students to participate in a semester-long fellowship with the CTK Enterprises team as it develops, produces and premieres the musical. In addition, new project-based courses will be offered throughout 2025 in subjects such as fashion design, marketing, brand partnerships and merchandising, providing students opportunities to contribute to the musical while receiving course credit. The projects in this first year will serve as a pilot for additional courses and connections between Belmont, Dolly Parton and CTK Enterprises in the future as DOLLY U expands in reach and impact. A list of courses that are part of the inaugural Dolly U program is available here.
“Dolly Parton exemplifies character, innovation and creativity, three characteristics we prioritize on this campus and seek to foster in our students,” Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones added. “Her career and all the work being done via CTK Enterprises are built on a strong foundation of faith and a desire to pursue excellence in every endeavor, all with a spirit of humility and generosity. This new partnership perfectly aligns with where Belmont is heading in our reimagination of higher education while setting the stage for boundless opportunities for current and future students.”
“On behalf of Dolly, my CTK team, and our partners at Ambassador Theatre Group, I could not be more thrilled to launch this endeavor with Belmont University,” says CTK Enterprises Founder/CEO Danny Nozell. “As one of the leading content production and entertainment management companies in the world, we will create hands-on learning opportunities for hundreds of students each semester while bringing to life Dolly’s dream project. This partnership is a new model for the future, which will nurture the next generation of creators and visionaries.”
Thanks to such specialized immersive experiences, Belmont graduates will develop the skills to be leaders in their fields of choice from day one, while Belmont also creates a well-equipped workforce pipeline for corporate and nonprofit entities across Nashville and beyond.