9 July 2026
Get ready for a night of joy, as the exhilarating new Scottish musical CEILIDH transforms Shoreditch Town Hall from 22 October until 13 November followed by a UK tour, taking this captivating new work to High Wycombe Old Town Hall, Eastbourne Winter Garden, Guildford G Live, Fareham Live and Bradford Live Ballroom, with more to be announced.
First opening in the UK at the Pitlochry Town Hall as part of Alan Cumming’s inaugural season at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre season, Alan Cumming, Artistic Director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre, said:“It’s only fitting that a show so beautifully entertaining and Scottish to its very core should start its journey here in Pitlochry, before it reels its way down to Shoreditch Town Hall and across the rest of the UK. It is a gorgeous, heartfelt story wrapped up in an unadulterated night of joy, dancing, music and pure Highland magic!”
Directed by Tony-Award winning director Sam Pinkleton, whose current hit Oh! Mary is still selling out London and New York simultaneously, and new production of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show has become the smash hit of the season on Broadway.
Pinkleton said: “There is absolutely nothing like CEILIDH. Creating this extraordinary musical has been a riot to bring to life. I’m overjoyed to continue living inside the rambunctious, life-affirming, and totally original theatrical world Scott and Claire have created, and let this joyful celebration loose on audiences at beautiful Shoreditch Town Hall and across the UK.”
This brand-new musical features an original book, music and lyrics by acclaimed Scottish duo Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie (Noisemaker). Formed in 2012, Noisemaker have written, developed and produced over 20 new works as a partnership. Using music, song, humour and heart: they strive to tell stories that bring people together. The pair collaborated with companies including The National Theatre of Scotland, Goodspeed Musicals, Fiasco Theater, Dundee Rep, and are this year’s recipients of the prestigious Jonathan Larson Grant for Musical Theatre Writing.
They said: “At its heart, a ceilidh is about gathering together, and leaving the world outside behind, to have a dance. Capturing one of Scotland’s proudest traditions, and watching its brilliant, chaotic energy play out on stage, has been a privilege to create with this extraordinary team. To watch this story make its way from Glasgow to North America, Pitlochry to Shoreditch, and now out across the UK, is a total thrill. We cannot wait for folk to step into CEILIDH and join in the dance!”
CEILIDH is a brand new musical that invites you to step into the heart of one of Scotland’s oldest and most beloved traditions. It’s a gathering of songs, stories and dances, all while sharing a dram or two along the way.
Led by a lively caller, you’ll be swept up in a whirlwind of music and memories from the moment you walk through the door. But as the music builds and the night takes hold, a story begins to unfold. A family story. One of love, legacy, and why tonight’s ceilidh matters more than most.
Whether you’re on the floor and part of the action, or taking it all in from the balcony, CEILIDH meets you exactly where you are.
Proudly presented by Grove Entertainment, Barbara Whitman, Trafalgar Theatre Productions and Eilene Davidson Productions.