Dolly Parton musical Here You Come Again announces lead casting and further dates
Lead casting has been revealed for new Dolly Parton musical Here You Come Again, which will have its UK premiere this summer, as part of Leeds Playhouse’s season.
Originally written by two-time Emmy award-winning comedy and songwriter Bruce Vilanch with Gabriel Barre (who also directs) and Tricia Paoluccio (who also plays Dolly), it has now been adapted for the UK by acclaimed British playwright Jonathan Harvey (Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and Coronation Street).
The musical, which tells the story of a diehard fan whose fantasy version of international icon Dolly Parton gets him through trying times, features numbers such as “Jolene”, “9 to 5”, “Islands in the Stream”, “I Will Always Love You”, “Here You Come Again” and more.
Steven Webb (who has concluded a long stint in The Book of Mormon) will play die-hard fan Kevin. He said today: “I’m beyond excited to be bringing Kevin to life here in the UK. I grew up listening to Dolly and other country music as my dad was a big fan. Twenty years ago, I was in a similar state to Kevin. I was down, a relationship had come clattering to a haltand I felt aimless. Then Dolly Parton played one night at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. So, I grabbed a ticket and took myself down there.
“Just like Kevin, I was inspired, galvanised and uplifted by Dolly and her message of love and perseverance. It was practically life changing. And that’s why she means so much to so many people. It’s no coincidence that the hashtag WhatWouldDollyDo became a life motto for so many. Getting to sing and hear her biggest hits (and watch Tricia embody Dolly) every night is going to be the greatest gift a show could ever give.”
A co-production with Simon Friend Entertainment, the piece runs from Saturday 11 May to Saturday 8 June 2024 in Leeds, with tour dates at Curve Leicester from 11 June, Theatre Royal Newcastle from 18 June, Marlowe Theatre Canterbury from 2 July, Theatre Royal Nottingham from 9 July, Liverpool Playhouse from 16 July, Cliffs Pavilion Southend from 19 August, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff from 26 Auust, Theatre Royal Brighton from 3 September, Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre from 10 September, Sheffield Lyceum from 17 September, Richmond Theatre from 24 September, Glasgow King’s Theatre from 1 October, Theatre Royal Norwich from 8 October, New Victoria Theatre Woking from 22 October, the Lowry in Salford from 29 October and Milton Keynes Theatre from 19 November.
Further tour dates have been revealed – the show will now play in Cambridge (25 to 29 June), Malvern (16 to 20 July), Edinburgh (23 to 27 July), Cheltenham (14 to 18 October), Bath (5 to 9 November), Blackpool (26 to 30 November) and Liverpool (3 to 7 December).
Additional casting and creative team are to be confirmed by the production.
