LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — As tributes continue pouring in following Dolly Parton's passing, many have shared stories about the impact she had on people she never met through her music, philanthropy and Imagination Library program.
For Brian Hull, the connection was more personal.
For more than two decades, Hull worked alongside Parton, helping transform stories from her Imagination Library into live stage productions for children at Dollywood.
When visitors step inside Hull's home, they're met with puppets, scripts and memorabilia collected over a lifetime in theater and children's entertainment. His career in family programming stretches back decades.
Hull got his start at Nashville's now-defunct Opryland theme park in the 1990s, where he performed as the character Professor U.B. Sharp. "I created Professor U.B. Sharp that eventually became a whole section of the park, the Professor's Backyard," Hull said.
After Opryland closed, a new opportunity changed the course of his career.
In the early 2000s, Hull was recruited by Dollywood to create stage productions geared toward young audiences. Digging through a collection of old scripts and books from those years, he reflected on a project that would become a major part of his career.
All of the productions were based on books from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, the literacy program that mails free books to children each month. "These aren't all of them. I'm missing a few books. But they were always very, very special," Hull said.
Shows such as Coat of Many Colors brought the stories to life on stage for visiting families.
Working on the productions eventually gave Hull an opportunity he never expected.
He didn't just work for Dolly Parton. He worked with her.
According to Hull, Parton wrote songs for the productions while he developed the rest of the performances. "It always just had to be good, it had to be the best it could possibly be," Hull recalled.
Parton was known for having high expectations, Hull said, but she also made a point of treating people well. "You had to be prepared, you didn't show up and you didn't waste her time," Hull said.
Still, he said her professionalism was matched by her warmth. "She would smile and greet everybody and wave at everybody and joke with everybody, exactly what you'd think, exactly what you'd hope for," Hull said.
Hull said he was devastated when he learned of Parton's death. "It's still a shock," he said.
Despite the loss, he remains grateful for the years they spent working together and hopes future generations will continue to experience the stories Parton championed. "There will always be an audience for these books," Hull said.
Hull said he hopes Dollywood will continue adapting Imagination Library books into performances, ensuring Parton's literacy mission lives on for years to come.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
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