Dolly Parton, the American singer, songwriter, and musician, has recently announced that in the Spring of 2025, she will be opening a brand-new Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show at Panama City Beach, a well-liked Florida tourist hotspot.
The dinner show, which is the third restaurant of its kind, is anticipated to generate 300 jobs and would require a unique and artistic cast, for whom a national talent search will start in the middle of 2024.
Dolly told WJHG, “I’m so excited about bringing this show to such a great destination.” She further described the restaurant experience: “With pirates, mermaids, exciting acrobatics, pyrotechnics, and even a few songs that I wrote, it’s a show that is perfect for all ages.”
With more than 1,000 seats, the indoor theater will host dinner and a performance featuring the clash of the Crimson and Sapphire pirates for the thrill, fun, and lots of adventure.
A New Dinner Theater
Dolly Parton, who owns the Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show Experiences, founded the chain 35 years ago in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States, with a second dinner theater in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They are managed by World Choice Investments LLC, which is a joint venture between The Dollywood Company, Fred Hardwick, and Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation.
The country legend talked to WJHG about her plans for the franchise, “Everyone knows that I dream big, so we are going ‘overboard’ with the details as we prepare everything – from the show to the four-course pirates feast to the exterior of the building itself.” She added, explaining the development process of the restaurant: “I told my folks to get started as soon as possible, so we’re breaking ground for construction in January!”
Parton’s choice to establish a location in Panama City Beach, as judged by Mayor Mark Sheldon, is a positive sign of the city’s development.
Sheldon told WMBB, “There’s no one who cares more about community than Dolly herself. So, during this process, it’s been amazing to see another great community partner who wants to invest in Panama City Beach and make this a staple business model for them.”
Parton’s New Adventures
Dolly Parton has made waves in the music industry through her contributions to the country genre for over fifty years. Since her debut album ‘Hello, I’m Dolly’ in 1967, she has sold over 100 million records worldwide, and yet she continued to find new breakthroughs in her career even at the age of 77.
In 2022, Dolly Parton was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but as a country musician, she felt unworthy of such a prestigious honor. She felt that she was taking away the position from someone who had spent their life in the genre of rock and roll. She declined the offer at first but was informed that the Rock Hall now honors a variety of artists from different genres, from Bob Marley to Eminem.
Parton accepted but felt like she still had to earn it, which inspired her to work on a new project even at the age of 77 to justify her inclusion. This led to the creation of the rock and roll album titled ‘Rockstar,’ which was released on 17 November 2023 by Butterfly Records and Big Machine Records.
The album consists of 9 original songs, such as lead single “World on Fire,” which was released on 11 May 2023, and 21 covers of famous rock and roll songs, including “We Are the Champions” and “We Will Rock You” by the British rock band Queen and “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin.
“Rockstar” is also a huge collaborative project, created with several legendary rock and roll artists, such as Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the surviving members of the Beatles, who are featured on the cover of their song “Let It Be.” The album also includes contemporary artists like Lizzo and Pink, along with a cover of the song “Wrecking Ball” by Parton’s goddaughter, Miley Cyrus.
