The new musical “Hello, I’m Dolly” has revealed its director. Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher will helm the previously announced show, inspired by the life of music icon Dolly Parton. The Broadway-bound musical will feature music from Parton’s catalog as well as original songs penned specifically for the production, and a book by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter.
“Dolly is one of the great songwriters in the American canon, and being entrusted with the opportunity to help her translate that glorious talent into the American musical theater is not only an honor, but absolutely a thrill,” Sher said in a statement. “As a young man growing up in San Francisco, I was a huge fan of the Grateful Dead. Their favorite vocal artist was Dolly Parton, and so is mine.”
Sher has received nine Tony nominations for direction, winning the award in 2008 for “South Pacific.” His other Broadway credits include “The Light in the Piazza,” “Oslo” and “To Kill a Mockingbird,” as well as revivals of “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” “Golden Boy,” “The King and I,” “My Fair Lady” and “Camelot.” He is slated to helm the upcoming Main Stem premiere of Ayad Akhtar’s “McNeal.”
“How lucky I am to have the great Bartlett Sher direct my ‘Hello, I’m Dolly’ musical,” said Parton. “When you decide to put your whole life up onstage, you hope and pray to find the right director with the right creativity and sensitivity to present all the blood, sweat, tears, light, love and laughter that I’ve experienced over seven decades of living. My heart tells me that Bartlett is the man and the director for the job.”
“Hello, I’m Dolly” is being produced by Parton, Adam Speers for ATG Productions and Danny Nozell for CTK Enterprises.
