Casting for the new musical “Ceilidh” [“KAY-lee”] is complete and has been announced for the North American premiere, taking place this fall at Baltimore’s France-Merrick Performing Arts Center M&T Bank Exchange Sept. 6, 2025. The show will run through Oct. 12, 2025.
Produced by Grove Entertainment, Barbara Whitman, and Alan Cumming, the musical is based on one of Scotland’s oldest and most beloved customs. Ceilidh is a noun that describes a traditional Scottish social gathering that involves dancing, music, and storytelling.
The show “Ceilidh” coming to Baltimore combines storytelling with communal dances and a “rich, raucous score and powerful, heartfelt book” by Scottish writers Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie (“Hi My Name Is Ben”, “The Snow Goose”). The production will be choreographed by Tony Award-winner Sam Pinkleton (“Oh, Mary!”, “The Great Comet of 1812”).
The cast includes Courtney Bassett (“Great Comet”) as Euna, Paul L. Coffey (“Pericles”) as Dave/Lord Buchanan, David Corlew (“Murder for Two”) as ensemble, George Drennan (“Border Warfare”) as Older Leo, writer Scott Gilmour as Ramsay, Annie Grace (“MacBeth” West End) as Older Euna, Rori Hawthorn (“Red Election”, “Game of Thrones”) as Rowan, Brandon Jackson as ensemble, Laura Lovemore (“The Kelton Hill Fair”) as Yvonne, Tony-nominated Euan Morton (“Hamilton”, “Taboo”) as Leo, Anne L. Nathan (“Funny Girl”, “Once”) as Granny/Moira, David Rowen (“Swept Away”) as Lucas, Parker Bailey Steven as ensemble, Claire-Francis Sullivan (“Impossible Green”) as ensemble, and Charlie West (“The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart”) as Fiddles.
“Ceilidh” is as much a celebration as a show, where the story happens around the audience and, according to the press release, viewers are “swept into a whirlwind of lively Scottish dances, where every step tells a tale and honors a tradition passed down through generations of ‘callers.’”
“Ceilidh is about bringing people together you might not usually expect to see together, and having as much fun as possible in the process,” Pinkleton said. “The group of big-hearted, brilliant actors and musicians we have assembled – from Broadway, Baltimore, and Scotland – is a collision of talents and cultures that could only happen in Ceilidh. I absolutely cannot wait.”
Tickets can be purchased at the “Ceilidh” website, Ticketmaster, and at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center box office.
