A new musical that originated in Scotland will make its North American premiere this year at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center in Baltimore.The name of the musical is “Ceilidh” (pronounced KAY-lee), and it had its world premiere last year at Cottiers, a theater and restaurant in Glasgow. Producers announced this week that the show’s North American premiere will be held at the M&T Bank Exchange, part of the France-Merrick center at Eutaw and Fayette streets, from Sept. 6 to Oct. 12, 2025.Ceilidh means ‘visit’ or ‘gathering’ in Gaelic. In Scotland and Ireland, a ceilidh is a traditional social gathering involving dancing, music and storytelling. The musical showcases that custom by getting patrons out of their seats for an evening of music and dance. The producers are Grove Entertainment; Barbara Whitman; and Alan Cumming, the Scottish-American actor and writer who currently hosts “The Traitors” on Peacock. They describe the show as “a universal story of community, duty and honor wrapped inside the fabric of Gaelic culture and Scottish heritage.”“Ceilidh” was written by Scottish writers Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie. The director and choreographer is Tony Award nominee Sam Pinkleton. Scenic Design is by Tony winner Rachel Hauck.“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,” Pinkleton said in a statement.“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.”“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, of Grove Entertainment, and 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.”“Supporting a show that is a combination of my country’s community culture, and a great yarn to boot is a no-brainer,” said Cumming, named one of Time magazine’s three most fun people in show business. “To one and all, I say come to ‘Ceilidh.’ You’ll literally be swept off your feet!” The M&T Bank Exchange is the performance space that opened in 2023 in the shell of the former Eutaw Savings Bank building next to the Hippodrome Theatre at 12 N. Eutaw Street. Both are part of the France Merrick Performing Arts Center. The address of the M&T Bank Exchange is 401 W. Fayette Street.Tickets to “Ceilidh” are currently available to Hippodrome subscribers at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center by visiting the Hippodrome Theatre App or calling 800-343-3103. They’re available for group purchase by calling 1-888-451-5986 or emailing groups@BaltimoreHippodrome.com. Tickets to “Ceilidh” for the general public will go on sale on May 13, 2025. Tickets for general admission seating in the Exchange’s mezzanine loge level are $89.50, and general admission seating on the floor is $101.50. Premium tickets are available for $146 and include premium section seating; early access to the VIP lounge; a drink and a collector’s item. To purchase tickets, visit www.ceilidhmusical.com, Ticketmaster.com or visit theFrance-Merrick Performing Arts Center box office at 12 N. Eutaw St. ...read more read less