Cast announced for new folk musical BALLAD LINES
Aria Entertainment & KT Producing have announced the full cast for the London premiere of the major new folk musical Ballad Lines, which opens at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from 23 January - 21 March 2026.
Co-created by award-winning Scottish singer-songwriter Finn Anderson (Islander, Streets) and award-winning director Tania Azevedo (Mayflies, But I’m a Cheerleader), Ballad Lines is a heart-opening new musical, directed by Azevedo, that shines a light on identity, belonging and the stories we choose to carry with us. The original score weaves together new songs with centuries-old traditional Scottish, Irish, and Appalachian ballads performed live by an all-female band, breathing new life into music that has echoed through generations.
Leading the cast is Frances McNamee (Girl from the North Country) as Sarah; Rebecca Trehearn (Showboat for which she won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress) as Betty; and Kirsty Findlay (Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, for which she was Olivier-nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role) who is reprising her role as Cait from an earlier iteration of the Scottish musical. All three performers also appeared on the Ballad Lines concept album, released in September 2025.
Completing the cast is: Sydney Sainté (The Great Privation, Or How to Flip Ten Cents into a Dollar) as Alix; Ally Kennard (The Creakers) as Jamie, Thomas, Ronan/Dance Captainna Tresvalles (Six the Musical) as Jean; Gracie Lai (Jersey Boys) as Morna/Ancestor (covers Betty, Alix, Jamie, Thomas, Ronan, Shona); and Siân Louise Dowdalls (Diana: The Musical) as Shona/Ancestor (covers Sarah, Cait, Jean, Morna).
Three generations. Timeless ballads. One unforgettable story. Sarah thought she’d left her childhood behind. A queer woman living in New York City, she’s long severed ties with the folk traditions of her upbringing. But when old ballads resurface, so do the voices of her ancestors — pulling her on a life-changing journey across time. Spanning continents and generations, Ballad Lines follows three women bound together by blood, song, and choice. In 17th-century Scotland, Cait, a minister’s wife, wrestles with the constraints of her role. In 18th-century Ireland, Jean, a spirited teenager, faces an uncertain future. In 21st-century New York, Sarah is caught between the life she’s built and the pull of the past. Blending original music with traditional Scottish, Irish, and Appalachian ballads, Ballad Lines is a story of love, legacy, and the ties that bind us all.
Under its former title, A Mother’s Song, the musical began in 2014, commissioned jointly by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Northwestern’s American Music Theatre Project. An earlier iteration of the musical received its world premiere in 2023 at Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling.
Ballad Lines is co-written by Finn Anderson and Tania Azevedo, with music and lyrics by Anderson. Completing the creative team are set designer TK Hay, music director Shonagh Murray, choreographer Tinovimbanashe Sibanda, costume designer Carly Brownbridge, costume supervisor Molly Fraser, lighting designer Simon Wilkinson, and sound designer Andy Johnson. Eliza Beth Stevens is the Assistant Director, James Anderton is the Production Manager, Kristie Winsen is the General Manager, and Jane Deitch is the Casting Director.
Ballad Lines is lead produced by Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment and Kate Taylor for KT Producing and co-produced with Wolk Transfer Company and TRW Production. An earlier version of Ballad Lines (previously A Mother’s Song) was first produced at Macrobert Arts Centre in 2023 by KT Producing and Macrobert Arts Centre.
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