{"id":2493807,"date":"2026-07-08T18:44:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T18:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2493807"},"modified":"2026-07-08T18:44:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T18:44:19","slug":"dolly-parton-joins-nashville-stars-who-hit-other-broadway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/dolly-parton-joins-nashville-stars-who-hit-other-broadway\/","title":{"rendered":"Dolly Parton joins Nashville stars who hit (other) Broadway"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<div id=\"videoWrap\" class=\"spacer-large videoWrap\" style=\"position:relative\"><media-video video-id=\"90683719007\" title=\"See Dolly Parton celebrate Tennessean Travel Stop grand opening\" poster=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/06\/24\/PNAS\/90682823007-dolly-travel-stop-055.JPG?crop=5968,3358,x0,y310\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\" placement=\"snow-video-story-priority\"><\/p>\n<div id=\"uwVideoPlaceholder\" slot=\"placeholder\" style=\"z-index:19;width:100%;padding-bottom:56.25%;position:relative\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"vidplaybtn\" style=\"display:-moz-box;display:-ms-flexbox;display:-webkit-flex;display:flex;background-color:rgba(0,0,0,.4);border:2px solid #fff;border-radius:80px;cursor:pointer;height:80px;width:80px;position:absolute;top:50%;left:50%;transform:translate(-50%,-50%);z-index:10\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"vidplayicon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/appservices\/universal-web\/universal\/icons\/icon-play-alt-white.svg\" alt=\"play\" style=\"height:40px;margin:auto 18px auto 27px;width:40px\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div slot=\"videoDetails\" id=\"videoDetails\" class=\"videoDetails\" style=\"padding-top:8px;padding-bottom:8px\">\n<div id=\"videoDetailsContainer\" class=\"videoDetailsContainer\" hidden=\"\">\n<p>See Dolly Parton celebrate Tennessean Travel Stop grand opening<\/p>\n<p>The country music legend opened the first location of her Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/media-video><\/div>\n<p>After making its world premiere in Nashville last summer, Dolly Parton\u2019s musical life story is officially headed for (the other) Broadway. Debuting on her 81st birthday (Jan. 19, 2027), <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dollymusical.com\/\">\u201cDOLLY: A True Original Musical\u201d<\/a> will take over New York\u2019s St. James Theatre with iconic country songs, pure-Dolly storytelling and jaunty choreography.<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"600\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\" momentum=\"\"\/>\n<p>It marks the second time the Smoky Mountain superstar has charmed the Great White Way, after she first did so with a musical adaptation of \u201c9 to 5.\u201d Working behind the scenes, Parton wrote all the music and lyrics for the stage adaptation of her hit movie, \u201c9 to 5.\u201d She wound up nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score in 2009. But Parton is far from alone on the list of Nashville artists who moonlight in Manhattan.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, hitmaker Maren Morris recently <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.today.com\/video\/maren-morris-on-new-tour-motherhood-what-s-next-in-her-career-266135109792\">told NBC\u2019s \u201cTODAY\u201d<\/a> she intends to take a break from touring when her Dream Girl Tour wraps. During the downtime, she\u2019d love to explore a creative shift.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel like Broadway \u2013 it\u2019s just a storytelling medium and you get more time,\u201d Morris said. \u201cSo I would love to do something like that, write for a musical.\u201d<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"390\" outstream=\"\"\/><media-gallery-promo asset-id=\"90189911007\" class=\"column ten-column no-gutter spacer-large\"\/><\/p>\n<p>It turns out country artists have been crossing over to musical theater for many years. Here are just some of the Nashville stars to pursue a second career.<\/p>\n<partner-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" class=\"spacer-large\" placement=\"native-article_link\" sizes=\"[[300, 250], [3, 3]]\" min-height=\"250\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 wp-block-heading\">Reba McEntire<\/h2>\n<p>Making her Broadway debut in 2001, Reba McEntire earned widespread critical acclaim for her starring role as sharpshooter Annie Oakley in \u201cAnnie Get Your Gun.\u201d It came as no surprise, since the Oklahoma native already had a thriving on-screen career. She has also appeared in films like \u201cTremors,\u201d \u201cThe Little Rascals,\u201d and of course, her TV show \u201cReba\u201d ran for six seasons.<\/p>\n<p><cta-atoms-container-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/cta\" class=\"spacer-large\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 wp-block-heading\">Billy Ray Cyrus<\/h2>\n<p>Billy Ray Cyrus was long past the \u201cAchy Breaky Heart\u201d mania of the 1990s when he was tapped to join a revival of the beloved musical \u201cChicago\u201d in 2012. But his charisma was still capable of stealing a scene, and he brought the \u201csmooth-talking lawyer\u201d Billy Flynn back to life.<\/p>\n<partner-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" placement=\"native-article_link\" sizes=\"[[300, 250], [3, 3]]\" min-height=\"250\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 wp-block-heading\">Jennifer Nettles<\/h2>\n<p>Looking for a change of pace, while still keeping her feet on the stage, Sugarland duo member Jennifer Nettles made the switch to Broadway in 2015. Her role was also in a run of \u201cChicago,\u201d earning the lead role of Roxie Hart. Critics were impressed with her chops, and comedic timing.<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"600\" outstream=\"\" momentum=\"\"\/>\n<p>Elsewhere, classic stars like Roger Miller, Kenny Rogers, Mac Davis and Larry Gatlin all found the spotlight, too. Plus, acting isn\u2019t the only way to wind up on Broadway.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 wp-block-heading\">Shane McAnally &amp; Brandy Clark<\/h2>\n<p>As one of Nashville\u2019s most respected songwriting duos, McAnally and Clark decided to apply their skills to something new. The &#8220;Follow You Arrow&#8221; cowriters came up with the Tony Award-winning 2023 musical \u201cShucked,\u201d which featured original music and a laugh-out-loud small-town storyline. The musical even returned to Nashville in 2024, playing at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 wp-block-heading\">Brian Kelley<\/h2>\n<p>Florida Georgia Line\u2019s BK turned his \u201canything goes\u201d creative ethos to musical theater with \u201cMay We All,\u201d which was loosely-inspired by FGL\u2019s hit collaboration with Tim McGraw. Coproducing the show, it debuted in Nashville in 2022 and featured a soundtrack full of country favorites.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 wp-block-heading\">K.T. Oslin<\/h2>\n<p>Before she made her name with a series of \u201880s country hits, K.T. Oslin made a living in Broadway chorus lines. She appeared in 1960s and 1970s runs of &#8220;West Side Story,&#8221; \u201cHello, Dolly!\u201d and more.<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"390\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<p>Meanwhile, the flow between Nashville and Broadway sometimes works in reverse.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 wp-block-heading\">Kristin Chenoweth<\/h2>\n<p>Kristin Chenoweth found fame originating the role of Glinda in the smash hit, \u201cWicked.\u201d She then came to Nashville and released the country album &#8220;Some Lessons Learned&#8221; in 2011.<\/p>\n<partner-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" class=\"spacer-large\" placement=\"native-article_link\" sizes=\"[[300, 250], [3, 3]]\" min-height=\"250\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 wp-block-heading\">Laura Bell Bundy<\/h2>\n<p>Laura Bell Bundy was also a leading lady on Broadway. She originated the Broadway roles of Elle Woods in \u201cLegally Blonde: The Musical,\u201d and Amber Von Tussle in \u201cHairspray,\u201d before her single \u201cGiddy On Up\u201d came out in 2010.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s clearly a solid history connecting the artistic powerhouses of Nashville and New York City. And those connections are only getting stronger. When \u201cDOLLY: A True Original Musical\u201d starts its run, it won\u2019t even be the only Nashville-coded Broadway show.<\/p>\n<p>With music and lyrics written by hit songwriter J.T. Harding, the new musical <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/musiccitythemusical.com\/\">\u201cMusic City\u201d<\/a> captures what it\u2019s like to chase dreams in the capital of country music. The show follows a pair of aspiring singer-songwriters who hang out in an East Nashville dive bar, and is currently in production at St. Luke\u2019s Theatre. Musical theater fans can never get enough Nashville storytelling.<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"390\" outstream=\"\"\/><lit-timestamp class=\"column ten-column no-gutter spacer-small\" slot=\"timestamp\" publishdate=\"2026-07-08 15:43:39.535209898 +0000 UTC\" updatedate=\"2026-07-08 15:43:39.535209898 +0000 UTC\"\/><\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.tennessean.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>See Dolly Parton celebrate Tennessean Travel Stop grand opening The country music legend opened the first location of her Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee. After making its world premiere in Nashville last summer, Dolly Parton\u2019s musical life story is officially headed for (the other) Broadway. Debuting on her 81st birthday (Jan. 19, 2027), \u201cDOLLY: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2487138,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[31785,396721,39915,22220,344468,358177,21751,239390,373185,23849,22846,61052,22641,6297,21741,21739,298114,428731,354155,428732,21800,346106,23510,26575,23089,21738,23939,239343,239347,61053,23759,24047,239344,28776],"class_list":["post-2493807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","tag-acting","tag-acting-u0026-theater","tag-affiliate","tag-arts","tag-broadway","tag-broadway-u0026-musical-theater","tag-celebrities","tag-celebrities-u0026-entertainment-news","tag-colbert","tag-country","tag-country-music","tag-dolly","tag-dolly-parton","tag-eamotion","tag-entertainment","tag-local","tag-local-affiliate-arts-u0026-entertainment","tag-maren","tag-maren-morris","tag-morris","tag-music","tag-musical","tag-nashville","tag-new","tag-new-york","tag-news","tag-ny","tag-overall","tag-overall-positive","tag-parton","tag-positive","tag-theater","tag-u0026","tag-york"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Dolly-Parton-shares-wedding-message-for-Taylor-Swift-Travis-Kelce-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2493807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2493807"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2493807\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2493808,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2493807\/revisions\/2493808"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2487138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2493807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2493807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2493807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}