Dolly Parton Writing Broadway Musical About Her Life

The Queen of Country Music will soon get her life story told on Broadway.

Dolly Parton, the monumentally successful country singer, plans to bring her story to the stage, according to WENN. Parton has won eight Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award, was named as the Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association back in 1978, and has been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

"I'm writing my life story as a musical for Broadway. I probably won't be in it but I'll find a way to introduce it somehow, maybe the older me," she told WENN.

Parton's been on Broadway before: Her 1980 movie, "Nine to Five," went to Broadway in 2009, and was nominated for four Tony Awards. The production only ran from April to September, before closing.

But Parton's long career will surely have plentiful fodder for stage treatment. Parton was born, the fourth of 12 children, in Tennessee, where her family grew up poor in a one-room cabin. Her grandfather was a Pentecostal preacher. She began performing as a child, and was married at 20 to Carl Thomas Dean -- who's still her husband. Along the way, she rubbed shoulders with Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and other music greats. In film, she's starred alongside actors as diverse as Sylvester Stallone, Jane Fonda, and Julia Roberts. She also happens to be Miley Cyrus's godmother -- cameo?

Parton is, of course, famous for her chest, which is insured for $600,000. She appeared on the cover of Playboy in 1978, fully clothed. Dolly, the first cloned sheep, was named after her.

"Dolly is derived from a mammary gland cell and we couldn't think of a more impressive pair of glands than Dolly Parton's," scientists said at the time.

In January, Parton will show off her acting chops in the film "A Joyful Noise" with Queen Latifah. The movie tells the story of two women who band together to keep their gospel choir together after the director dies.

Here's Dolly singing "Nine to Five":

Comments

[Russ Simon]

04:51 PM on 01/04/2012

who can possibly play the part of Dolly Parton, and do it justice?

[grapost]

08:25 AM on 12/31/2011

The big question is will she include a seen where she comes out of the closet. The "invisible husband" lie is so old now it's a joke.

[treabeton]

09:49 PM on 12/30/2011

What's not to like about Dolly. An American original.

[Robben Wainer]

12:36 AM on 12/30/2011

Hello,
I am a funkologist. Ashford and Simpson were a few of my early influences.

[chrysostomos]

06:56 PM on 12/29/2011

She is a special woman and a country great.

[chrysostomos]

06:52 PM on 12/29/2011

Seems only appropriate.

[Gilbert Albright]

09:52 AM on 12/29/2011

I hope she includes a scene were she comes out of the closet. The 'invisible husband" lie is a joke that is well past its prime.

[grapost]

09:48 AM on 12/29/2011

I hope they include a scene where she finally comes out of the closet!. The "invisible husband" lie is getting a joke that is well past its time.

[cdnbystander]

11:30 PM on 01/01/2012

Writing it a lot of times don't make it true.

[alfajri syp]

04:27 AM on 12/29/2011

Dolly Parton Writing Broadway Musical About Her Life
The Queen of Country Music will soon get her life story told on Broadway.

Dolly Parton, the monumentally successful country singer plans to bring her story to the stage, according to WENN. Parton has won eight Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award, was named as the Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association back in 1978, and has been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

[triplettam]

02:09 AM on 12/29/2011

She's funny, she's humble and she's a true American icon. Good for her.

[colin72]

08:14 PM on 12/28/2011

"Dolly Parton, The Musical!"

I give her two big bouncy thumbs up.

[SHIRLEY CARR]

05:10 PM on 12/28/2011

Hopefully, she will run with the musical and go outside her realm of country and have some songs that will feed the audiences of today.

[Jesusocialist]

04:23 PM on 12/28/2011

I was never really a fan of her music until someone gave me a copy of Songbird, her bare bones bluegrass album from a few years ago. It is truly beautiful.

I also appreciate that she can laugh at her intentionally tacky persona.

[playflute2]

10:24 AM on 12/30/2011

I've always said, "Dolly is laughing all the way to the bank". She is one of the most naturally funny human beings around.

[PatA]

09:43 PM on 12/30/2011

She says "it costs a lot of money to look this cheap".

[dukeitout]

04:10 PM on 12/28/2011

My favorite song that she composed is titled "I Will Always Love You" later a big hit sung by Whitney Houston.

[Yechezkel]

03:52 PM on 12/28/2011

Dolly also has a foundation that gives books to children. Whenever she sings her songs with others she always lets the other singer take the lead. A talented and humble woman. I wish more celebrities had her class and true love for others.