Introducing Dolly U
Groundbreaking Dolly U Partnership Promises Immersive Learning Across Disciplines on Real-World Project
Dolly U is officially launching with several collaborative projects and interdisciplinary initiatives connected to Parton’s upcoming Broadway show, “Dolly: An Original Musical.” Based on Parton’s life story with music written by the singer-songwriter, the musical is set to have its world premiere in Belmont’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in summer 2025 before its Broadway debut in 2026.
Dolly U: The Details
Centered around the musical, the initial Dolly U Program features two distinctive opportunities for immersive education around the making of “Dolly: An Original Musical:” Details on Coursework and Fellowships or email dollyu@belmont.edu to learn more.
Coursework
Four project-based courses are being offered during the Spring 2025 semester, providing students opportunities to contribute to the musical while receiving course credit. The projects in this first semester will serve as a pilot for additional courses and connections between Belmont, Dolly Parton and CTK Enterprises in the future as DOLLY U expands in reach and impact. Details on the courses that are part of the inaugural Dolly U program can be found below.
Spring 2025 Courses
Faculty: Brittany Schaffer & Caroline Rupard
The life and career of Dolly Parton spans over 60 years of impact and inspiration. From hit songs to major motion pictures, best-selling books to a thriving theme park, Dolly’s creative journey continues to shape culture and inspire generations. This course explores the keystone moments of creating an American icon through both lecture and intimate interviews from experts and key players in Dolly’s career.
Faculty: Rick Rekedal
This class examines how entertainment properties connect with audiences through consumer products, transforming stories into lifestyle experiences. Key topics include the Story Adoption Engine, toyetic potential and understanding consumer needs. Students will learn to ideate and pitch products that extend audience engagement beyond entertainment, with a focus on products connected to Dolly: An Original Musical.
Faculty: Dr. Lora Harding
The marketing communications landscape is more complex than ever. Recognizing the importance of coordinating the numerous and varied consumer touch points available to marketers, this course approaches the promotional aspect of marketing from an integrated marketing communications perspective. In particular, although traditional media advertising is often the most visible part of a firm’s communications, attention will also be given to the strategic role of other elements of the promotional mix, including digital/internet marketing, direct marketing, sales promotion and public relations. Emphasis will be placed on developing consumer insights on which to base creative and media decisions, as well as the importance of setting and evaluating performance against actionable promotional objectives.
Faculty: John Zarling & Jackie Campbell
This course examines the principles and strategies of partnership marketing, sponsorship, strategic alignments, non-profit collaborations and business development as applied to the music industry. It requires a basic understanding of negotiation/sales strategy, legal agreements, music rights and ownership, as well as marketing and promotion within the entertainment industry.
Get to Know Belmont University
Nestled in the heart of Nashville, Belmont hosts a vibrant creative community, with top-ranked programs in arts, music, business, design and so much more. Immerse yourself in a supportive environment guided by industry experts and accomplished artists with world-class facilities and a collaborative spirit. Discover the innovation, like Dolly U, that makes Belmont unlike any other college campus.
