A gasp rang out at Worthing Theatre in Sussex as a cast member walked on stage ahead of the evening’s show to announce that Dolly Parton had died. The country legend, whose career spanned more than six decades, died on August 25 aged 80 after a ‘brief cancer battle’.
Cast pays tribute before opening performance
‘Before we begin tonight’s performance of 9 to 5, we would like to remember the remarkable Dolly Parton who has sadly passed away today,’ the performer announced to the crowd. As the audience settled down from their shock, Doralee actress Karla Tracey went on to praise Parton’s ‘extraordinary talent, creativity, and spirit’.
9 to 5 The Musical is based on the 1980 film of the same name, which Parton starred in, with music and lyrics written by the singer. It opened in 2008 before moving to Broadway a year later and landing four Tony Award nominations. By 2010, the show was on a national tour and two years later it opened in the UK. The musical ran on the West End in 2019, starring Amber Davies and Bonnie Langford, before four UK tours, as well as runs in Australia and Japan.
Performance dedicated to late singer
‘Tonight we will perform the piece as she intended, with great respect and affection for the woman whose vision brought it to life,’ Karla continued. She sent the production’s well wishes to Parton’s family and dedicated the performance to the late singer with ‘deepest thanks for the music, laughter, and joy she gave us’.
Last night’s show was actually the opening performance of the musical at the Worthing Theatre, with shows running until the end of August. On September 1, the show will move to Coventry and then Hastings, wrapping up by mid-month.
Fans and celebrities share tributes
In the caption of the video, the theatre wrote: ‘We’re so sad to hear of the passing of Dolly Parton. As we bring 9 to 5 The Musical to the stage this week, her spirit will be with us in every note and every laugh. Few artists have given the world so much joy, kindness and inspiration. Our thoughts are with her family and the millions of fans she touched. Rest in peace, Dolly.’
The comments on the post have been flooded with Parton fans sharing memories and their tributes to the star. Holly Mason shared: ‘I was at the show tonight. It was a shock, finding that out just before the show and so so sad. What a wonderful way it was to celebrate her life and some of her work. Huge kudos and love to the cast and crew for still absolutely smashing their performances.’ ‘We were also in the audience,’ Annabelle Alloway added. ‘The cast really did her proud!’
The family of the Coat of Many Colors singer confirmed her death by sharing she’s now ‘in the arms of Jesus’. ‘Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest,’ her nephew, Bryan Seaver, said.
Tributes from other celebrities have continued to come in, with Sir Paul McCartney recalling when they first met. ‘Her songwriting, her singing and her philanthropy were unrivalled in the world of country music and it is hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly,’ he wrote. Taylor Swift said: ‘A world without Dolly doesn’t feel possible, real, or right. But because of the eternally generous way she spent her time on this earth and the countless lives she changed for the better, her legacy will be an everlasting one. She managed to give the world the ultimate mystery and fantasy in some corners of her life, but to give full transparency in the ways that counted. Somehow she was true grace and true grit, all in one dazzling person. She possessed the softest heart when it came to the struggles of others, and a backbone of steel to defend her own self-worth as an artist.’
The Love Story singer concluded: ‘For the tightropes she walked so that young girls like me could grow up dreaming of joining the circus too. Dolly, I’ll think of you each step of the way.’ Parton was open about her health issues in the lead-up to her death, most recently pulling out of a fan event earlier this month due to ‘dizziness and dehydration’. Just last week, she acknowledged ‘health issues’, which she said she had not tended to while caring for her late husband Carl Dean, who died last year.
