Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol sets 2026 national tour

Right Angle Entertainment and Paul T. Couch have announced a 2026 national tour of Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol, launching Nov. 14 in Princeton, West Virginia. The holiday musical will play more than 20 cities, with tickets on sale now, as the production leans into Parton’s Smoky Mountains legacy and Christmas themes.

Why it matters: - The 2026 tour gives Dolly Parton’s holiday musical a wider national run during the peak Christmas season. - The production is positioned as both a seasonal draw and a celebration of Parton’s connection to the Smoky Mountains. - Tickets are on sale now, creating an immediate sales window for fans and holiday theater audiences.

What happened: - Right Angle Entertainment and Paul T. Couch announced the 2026 national tour of Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol on Sept. 16, 2026. - The tour opens Nov. 14 in Princeton, West Virginia, at the Chuck Mathena Center. - The production will visit more than 20 cities across the U.S. - Tickets for all performances are available at the official tour site.

The details: - The musical features music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and a book by David H. Bell. - Bell, Couch and Curt Wollan adapted the show for the stage. - The production is set in the 1930s in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. - Ebenezer Scrooge is reimagined as the owner of a mining company town. - The plot follows Scrooge after a Christmas Eve snowstorm, when his deceased business partner and three ghosts force him to confront his greed and rediscover love. - The show uses Dickens’ classic characters alongside Parton’s songwriting. - Alison Spiriti, co-founder at Right Angle Entertainment, said the show gives longtime fans and new generations a way to celebrate Parton’s music and legacy. - Couch said the holiday theme feels more poignant this year and described the production as a way to share Parton’s songs and stories. - Parton called the musical “My love letter to the Smoky Mountains, to Christmas, and to the timeless reminder that love, compassion, and generosity are gifts that we can all share.”

Between the lines: - The tour leans heavily on Parton’s brand as a multigenerational cultural figure, not just as a songwriter. - The show is framed as an American spin on a familiar holiday story, which may help it reach audiences beyond core Dolly Parton fans. - The timing of the announcement, 100 days before Christmas, signals a push to make the show part of early holiday planning.

What's next: - The tour begins Nov. 14 in Princeton, West Virginia. - Additional stops include cities in West Virginia, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. - The final listed performance is Dec. 23 in Indianapolis at Clowes Hall. - More tour dates and updates are available on the official tour site, and the production is also posting on Facebook and Instagram at @smokymountainchristmascarol.

The bottom line: - Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol is returning as a broad national holiday tour, with a clear pitch: familiar Christmas storytelling, Parton’s music and a built-in seasonal audience.