Eight-Hand Jig | Pegasus PlayLab 2026 at UCF School of Performing Arts

This play is presented as part of UCF’s Pegasus PlayLab. Imagine square dancing, but much better. That is an Irish Céilí (pronounced kaylee), a folk art in which an emcee calls out the names of dances and the crowd performs the partner work arm-in-arm, and solo moves in circles and sways. Within this framework of many Irish dances, including the titular Eight-Hand Jig, we learn the history of the O’Malley family, both in Chicago 2036, and in Dublin 1701. The play switches swiftly from movement to dialogue, and each physical number moves the plot forward as we see past and future collide. Mel O’Malley has three B-eautiful children: Brigid, Bree, and enby Brenda. Of Irish heritage, Mel is constantly straddling the worlds between the motherland and her daughters’ childhood home in the U.S. When all four family members gather for Bree’s baby shower in 2036, a heartbreaking secret is revealed. The family’s experiences parallel that of their Irish ancestors, accused of witchcraft. These O’Malley women, separated by generations, have been subject to the same pain and injustices of womanhood. This play examines the nature of women’s rights through the quirky lens of dance and the misfit O’Malley family.

Playwright: MC Crosby | Director: David Sterritt

Each performance is followed by a talkback with the audience.