Ceilidh: (KAY-lee, noun) 1) A traditional Scottish social gathering. 2) In contemporary usage, one particularly involving dancing and Gaelic folk music, either at a home or a larger concert at a social hall or community gathering space; a literary entertainment where stories, tales, poems, and ballads are rehearsed and recited, songs are sung, proverbs are quoted, and many other literary matters are related and discussed. From the Old Irish céilií, meaning companion. Plural ceilidhean
All of this basic introduction is covered at the top of the show by our engaging host, professional “caller” Ramsay MacLavaney (a warm and extremely congenial Scott Gilmour), in the American premiere of the immersive musical experience Ceilidh, created by Gilmour & Claire McKenzie under the loving guidance of Tony winning Director and Choreographer Sam Pinkleton (this season’s uproarious comedy Oh, Mary!). Playing for four weeks as the inaugural production at the intimate M&T Bank Exchange at the Hippodrome Theatre, this unassuming and thoroughly enthralling special event is the most original programming of the theatrical season and not to be missed.
Gilmour is a gracious and charismatic host as he explains the evolution of the Ceilidh through the years, starting in the Braveheart era of Robert the Bruce and transitioning through time. He elaborates on the critical role of the caller, an honor learned and passed down through generations, leading up to the introduction of his own father, Leo MacLavaney (Euan Morton, Taboo), a legendary caller who clearly demonstrates where Ramsay inherited his charisma.
For the remainder of the evening, Ramsay and Leo treat us to their family story in a manner much like Kander & Ebb employ. Like Cabaret, which tells its story in the context of an evening at a Berlin night club, and Chicago which tells theirs as a Vaudevillian show, Gilmour and McKenzie unfold their story in the context of a series of Ceilidhean, from holidays to weddings to celebrations to just an evening out, but the stories and the family and the legacy and tradition—and of course the dancing—throughout make for a lively, moving, and very memorable evening.
Gilmour and Morton are joined by a very game cast who flesh out their stories while leading the surprisingly very willing audience in a series of Ceilidh dances. Although the ensemble truly work as a very balanced unit for the evening, other standouts include Courtney Bassett (Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812) as Ramsay’s mother Euna, Emma McGlinchey and Charlie West as a rowdy bride and groom, and George Drennan in a memorable and very touching role. Also of note is local actor Parker Bailey Steven making her professional debut in the buoyant company.
The score is by turns, uplifting, emotional, and invigorating, with all the typical spirit one would expect from a Gaelic band. And for anyone fearful of the dance, just know the dances are not difficult, but some are trickier then they seem. But fear not, Gilmour and the cast are scattered throughout the dance floor to instruct and encourage anyone brave enough to partake on the floor. If you can do the Electric Slide or the Cupid Shuffle at a wedding, you can handle these dances under the watchful care and loving guidance of the engaging cast. And if you blame your ability to perform at a wedding on free flowing alcohol, just know the bar stays open the whole show, as well as the option of a whiskey shot at the end of the first act (topped only by a complimentary haggis buffet at intermission—which was unexpectedly delicious)
I hesitate to explain too much about the evening because I went in totally blind with zero expectations and was nothing short of surprised, charmed, and mesmerized by the entire evening. And yes, I danced the night away like no one was looking—and believe me, they’re not. They’re all so concerned with their own efforts to master the steps to care about how you look. Having discussed the theatrical magic he has conjured up with co-creator Gilmour, he agreed that that is the best way to approach it is as I did, no knowledge, no expectations. Plus, this engagement is a work in progress. They are trying the show to see what works, how it works, and how it should evolve in order to take it to a wider audience, wherever that may take them in the future. I hope it takes them everywhere.
The best I can do to describe this for my readers without giving anything crucial away is imagine if you invite the audience onstage for the barn dance from Oklahoma, played the full cast on-stage Gaelic rock band from Once, employ the enjoyable immersive experience of this season’s hit Phantom of the Opera reinvention Masquerade, then add the emotionality of Les Misérables, the tradition of Fiddler on the Roof, and wrap it all up in the mystical Scottish magic lore of Brigadoon, you have the basic essence of what Ceilidh will provide in any form it may take.
The visuals are simple but very effective. Rachel Hauck decks the Exchange out as a festive banquet hall with faeirie lights and drapes. Sarah Laux’s costumes play delightfully with the concepts of tartan and kilts, from the traditional (an always sexy look worn by Gilmour and West and others) to the implied (McGlinchey’s flattering plaid floor length dress) to the makeshift (Stevens’ neo-Goth character wraps a plaid shirt around her waist). McKenzie’s orchestrations and arrangements rock festive and bright, driving the entire evening and drawing the audience into enjoying Pinkleton’s jouyous dances. Most importantly of all, Danny Edberg and Ursula Kwong-Brown’s sound design is flawless, providing maximum audio pleasure for all the other aspects to succeed.
As well executed and magical as the evening is, somehow I doubt that the creators of this wonderful piece of immersive theatre from the Scottish Isles understand the very necessary favor they are providing us stateside with this beautiful work. Now, in a time when we have never been more divided amongst ourselves, when our art, especially our theatre, is becoming ridiculously politicized and polarizing, Gilmour & McKenzie create a stunning, welcoming space where a room full of strangers can come together to embrace, learn, and dance without a care. My advice to all of you is take advantage of this experience and go, experience, and, mostly, dance! You won’t believe how good it feels and how much you need it. Thank you Noisemaker Productions, for choosing Baltimore to share this event as you test, refine, and continue to develop this moving piece of theatre in hopes of finding a wider and more permanent audience for it. You have no idea what a blessing you have given us in this polarized town.
From the first haunting ballad Ramsay introduces to illustrate the basics of the Ceilidh:
“Give me your bonnie hand, my dear
I don’t know where this road goes
But walk it with me and I’ll keep you near
Then it will be the path that we chose.”
to the wise words his father Leo passes down at the end, “Find yourself a hand to hold”, the takeaway from this heartwarming production is just that—gather together, enjoy old friends and make new ones, build a community of joy and love, and celebrate life. Oh, and dance.
So strap on your tartan kilt (real or improvised), tune up your bagpipes, and choose your path to the M&T Bank Exchange to find yourself a hand to hold. This exhilarating Ceilidh is the prescription we all need so badly right now. And try the haggis.
All photos courtesy of Matt Murphy
Running Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes with a 15 minute intermission.
Ceilidh runs through October 12, 2025, at the M&T Bank Exchange in the Hippodrome Theatre in the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center at 401 W. Fayette Street, Baltimore, 21201. For tickets call the box office at 410.752.7444. or purchase them online