CEILIDH: A NEW MUSICAL to Make North American Premiere in Baltimore This Fall

Producers Grove Entertainment (Beth Williams, Mindy Rich), Barbara Whitman and Alan Cumming have announced that the new musical Ceilidh [KAY-lee], based on one of Scotland’s oldest and most beloved customs, will make its North American premiere in Baltimore, MD this fall. With a universal story of community, duty and honor wrapped inside the fabric of Gaelic culture and Scottish heritage, performances of Ceilidh begin September 6 at the M&T Bank Exchange at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center and will play a strictly limited engagement through October 12. 

Ceilidh combines dynamic storytelling with communal dances all led by a rich, raucous score and powerful, heartfelt book by Scottish writers Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie (Hi My Name Is Ben, The Snow Goose) and helmed with direction and choreography by the acclaimed, Tony Award nominee Sam Pinkleton (Oh, Mary!; The Great Comet of 1812). Scenic Design for Ceilidh is by Tony Award-winner Rachel Hauck (Hadestown; Good Night, Oscar) with additional designers and casting to be announced.

All are welcome to join the celebration at Ceilidh, the exhilarating theatrical experience that is like nothing you've ever seen before! As the story of Ceilidh unfolds around you, you'll be swept into a whirlwind of lively Scottish dances, where every step tells a tale and honors a tradition passed down through generations of "callers." At its heart, Ceilidh is a musical about family, legacy, the enduring power of stories and having a good time! It will leave you with a lasting feeling of joy long after the last dance ends.

"The first time I went to a Ceilidh in Glasgow I wept, I howled with laughter, I danced so hard I was almost sick. Making Ceilidh is quite literally the most fun I've ever had,” said director and choreographer Sam Pinkleton. “It's a giddy joy to live inside the collision of Scott and Claire's rich, raw, original theatrical world with centuries-old Scottish music and dance traditions. It's a theatrical experience that has made me reconnect with the thing I love most about theater in the first place - the simple, unshakeable act of gathering with a group of strangers."

“Supporting a show that is a combination of my country's community culture, and a great yarn to boot is a no-brainer,” said producer Alan Cumming. “To one and all, I say come to Ceilidh. You'll literally be swept off your feet!"

“When we first began working with Scott and Claire on Ceilidh through our commissioning program, we knew the passion they brought to the project, but we had no idea that we would fall in love with the heart behind the Scottish tradition of Ceilidh,” said producers Beth Williams and Barbara Whitman. “We’re thrilled to introduce Ceilidh to North American audiences for the first time and there isn’t a better community than Baltimore to welcome the show to this continent.”

Ceilidh had its first developmental workshop in Glasgow, Scotland in August 2024 at the renowned Cottiers. Original Glasgow cast album available soon on Ghostlight Records.