Dolly Parton Admits She’s ‘Anxious to See’ Her Debut Musical Which Has Given Her ‘Mixed Emotions’ and Made Her ‘Cry’ (Exclusive)

Dolly Parton is finally coming for the big lights of Broadway — but the country superstar says it’s been a long time coming.

In an interview with PEOPLE tied to the release of her new single-serve frozen meals with Conagra, the “Jolene” singer spoke about what it was like to watch the stories of her life play out on stage during the process of putting together Dolly: An Official Musical together during casting and creation

“I have a lot of mixed emotions about the whole thing. It was very emotional, you know, just to watch the whole thing,” she told PEOPLE candidly. “When it started, I’d cry some, and then I’d laugh some, and I think, ‘Oh, my Lord, why did I do that?’ Or just, ‘How did I ever have the time to do all that?’ So you have a lot of mixed emotions and have thoughts about every part of it.”

Dolly, which is Parton’s debut musical, starts previews in Nashville at the Fisher Theater for the Performing Arts on July 18 before making its official opening on Aug. 8.

The show is set to premiere on Broadway in New York City in 2026.

The “9 to 5” singer, who ironically told PEOPE that rehearsals for the musical will actually be running from 10 to 6, shared that the show has been years in the works and that she’s been waiting for what she felt was the right time to tell a thorough and full story of her life.

And of course, she was hands-on throughout the process.

“I wrote a lot of the original songs, in addition to the fact that we will be using the hit songs that people know, telling the stories and the timeline and when they’re recorded,” she says. “But actually, I’ve been working on it for years, and it does feel good to finally have it almost here.”

Fans can expect music new and old and a look at some of the most pivotal moments in Parton’s career, but not necessarily in a linear timeline.

“It’s got a lot of good country music in it, lot of good country stories, but it also has a lot of the big orchestration, all the things that I’ve always dreamed about having my songs and stories on stage and telling my life story.I waited for a while till I was this old so I could tell it so, so I could tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth — So, help me, Lord!”

She continued on with a laugh, “That’s why it’s so hard to put a show together, you can’t just tell it like it is and how it happened at that time. You have to kind of weave it around, make sure you get the story right, but that everything works for the sets and all the changes of clothes. I never knew so many things were involved in putting a Broadway show together. But I’m excited about it, and I’m anxious to see it myself.”

Parton, however, will not be performing in the show herself.

In fact, she’ll be enjoying a much deserved break once Dolly hits production.

“I’m going to be tied up here in Nashville all summer, working on [the musical] until through August, for sure,” she says. “And then once I catch my breath, I don’t know what I’m going to do, probably just catch my breath. Take a breather.”

Source People.com