The star of a Dolly Parton tribute act has vowed to continue for the rest of her life as she told of her heartbreak at the country music superstar’s death.
There has been an outpouring of global grief from politicians to Hollywood and beyond as the legend’s death was announced on Tuesday.
Sarah Jayne Crust, who has performed as Parton for 32 years, said she has not yet come to terms with the news.
“Obviously I was heartbroken yesterday evening when I heard the news and it has been a bit of a rollercoaster since,” she told the Press Association.
“She is such a global legend, superstar, everybody loves her and always will do. It is more apparent today.”
Ms Crust, 49, said Parton has personally thanked her for her work and added: “I will continue for the rest of my days.”
She will bring her Dolly Parton Experience to Brighton on Friday and expects the show to be “very different”.
“There will be a lot of tears and a lot of celebratory singing and dancing along,” she said.
The 49-year-old, of Ashford in Kent, also leads a theatre show called Country Superstars, and works with her husband and daughter – and said their tours are usually booked 16 to 18 months in advance.
Of her music shows, she said: “At the end of the day Dolly is a storyteller. When 9 To 5 comes on you can’t help but want to let your hair down.
“I’ve got a feeling this weekend it’s going to explode. It will be very emotional.”
The show will be held at the 400-seat Brighton Open Air Theatre in Dyke Road Park, which has been open since 2015.
The two-hour-long performance will include a selection of the country superstar’s well-known hits like 9-5, I Will Always Love You and Jolene.
The theatre will be hosting a variety of events throughout the Bank Holiday weekend from a performance of The Great Gatsby on Saturday, live Wrestling on Sunday and a performance of Pinocchio on Monday.
The Brighton Open Air Theatre was the long-held ambition of playwright and construction manager Adrian Bunting who died in 2013 from Pancreatic Cancer aged 47, the theatre was opened almost two years to the day after his death after his friends raised £100,000 and negotiated planning and construction.
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