Zooey Deschanel to Become the Coal Miner's Daughter on Broadway

Whether people like it or not, country music is a part of our nation's history and the state of Kentucky has produced many amazing country, folk, and bluegrass artists. The Country Music Highway is a stretch of US Route 23 which extends from Greenup County in North Eastern Kentucky south to Pike County and terminates at the Virginia line. The concentration of talent in this area includes Patty Loveless, The Judds, Ricky Skaggs, and of course Loretta Lynn. Lynn grew up near Van Lear in Johnson County, Kentucky (not far from where my people are from, actually) and you can hear all about growing up in a small mining town in her song "Coal Miner's Daughter". On Thursday, May 10, Loretta Lynn concluded her performance at the Ryman Audtorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry, with an announcement that "Coal Miner's Daughter" is going to become a Broadway musical. Taking up the starring role will be Zooey Deschanel.

Loretta Lynn's iconic song "Coal Miner's Daughter" was adapted to a feature film of the same name in 1980     starring Sissy Spacek in the lead role with Tommy Lee Jones playing her husband. According The Tennessean, Spacek stood at Lynn's side at the Ryman the night the pair announced that the film was being made. The actress was awarded an Oscar for her performance as the famed Kentuckian. Deschanel sang verses of "Coal Miner's Daughter" with Loretta Lynn on the Opry stage last night as they made their announcement of the musical. There is simply only the announcement of the musical itself, there is no word yet on who will write the book or choreograph the show, however the musical's producers Fox Theatricals and Scott Sanders Productions are behind Legally Blonde, which starred Kentuckian Laura Bell Bundy as Elle Woods.

With Dechanel's talent for folk music, she is half of the duo She & Him, she is an interesting choice to play Loretta Lynn in a biographical musical. It may be hard to divorce myself from her adorkable characters in New Girl and Elf, but this may definitely be a way for her to branch out. The report says that the musical would no way interfere with her obligations to Fox's New Girl sitcom. I'm excited to know who what songs of Loretta Lynn's will be included in the show. Sissy Spacek performed Lynn's songs "You Ain’t Woman Enough to Take My Man,” ”You’re Looking at Country,” and ”I’m a Honky Tonk Girl” in the feature film, so I'm sure those would be included in the musical with the addition of some original songs. Time will tell to see if Lynn will have a hand in writing them. No other cast members have been announced.

I think this very interesting news. I am a fan of Zooey Deschanel and I am interested to see what she can bring to this role. I liked Reese Witherspoons portrayal of June Carter Cash in Walk the Line, so if it is similar at all, then I'll be quite happy.

Do you like Zooey Deschanel? Are you excited to see her on Broadway?

To learn more about the artists of the Country Music Highway (including Loretta Lynn), you can visit two great museums in Eastern Kentucky, the Country Music Highway Museum and the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center. Lynn's childhood home on Butcher Holler, near Van Lear, Kentucky is also open for private tours.

Source - The Tennessean: Zooey Deschanel, Loretta Lynn announce Broadway production of ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’