Entertainment
10 May, 2026
Dolly ‘will always love you’ at CPAC tribute show
A DOLLY Parton tribute show is coming to Cairns, with ‘Dolly: I will always love you’ set to take the stage at the Cairns Performing Arts Centre on Saturday 23 May.
Fronted by performer Brooke McMullen, the production celebrates the music and legacy of the country icon through live performance, storytelling and costume.
Ms McMullen said her connection to Dolly Parton’s music began early.
“I come from a musical theatre background, but my family’s very country, so I grew up with horses like my family’s harness racing, and my nan introduced me to country music as a kid and I loved it,” she said.
“I was working in musical theatre and I then sort of fell into tribute land and ended up in a Johnny Cash tribute show as June Carter. And it was while doing that … the idea of, ‘Oh, well, why don’t we do a Dolly Parton show’?”
The show features a selection of Dolly Parton’s best-known songs, including ‘Jolene’, ‘9 to 5’ and ‘Coat of many colours’, backed by a live band.
Ms McMullen said she had spent years refining the performance.
“I’ve watched endless Dolly Parton concerts … my feed is just filled with different Dolly things that pop up,” she said.
“I’ve gone to Nashville, and I’ve been to the Smoky Mountains where Dolly’s from, and just sort of tried to immerse myself in as much Dolly as possible … to really connect with how she presents as a performer.”
Audiences can expect a mix of music and narrative on the night.
“So many Dolly hits, some great fun, sparkly costumes. A great night of all your favourite songs and stories,” she said.
“I love to include a lot of storytelling in the show … country music is storytelling and Dolly is a brilliant, brilliant storyteller and songwriter.”
Ms McMullen said Dolly Parton’s appeal continues to span generations. “We end up getting lots of three generations … the grandmother, the mother and the young girl… they’re just such relatable stories … Dolly really has something for everyone,” she said.
The performance will be staged as a one-night event in Cairns, with tickets available online at www.bit.ly/4n59QzG and at the box office.
