Frances McNamee, Rebecca Trehearn and Kirsty Findlay head the cast of new folk musical Ballad Lines, which opens at Southwark Playhouse Elephant in January 2026.
McNamee plays Sarah, with Trehearn as Betty and Findlay 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 as Alix; Ally Kennard as Jamie, Thomas, Ronan/Dance Captain; Yna Tresvalles as Jean; Gracie Lai as Morna/Ancestor (covers Betty, Alix, Jamie, Thomas, Ronan, Shona); and Siân Louise Dowdalls 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.
Co-created by Scottish singer-songwriter Finn Anderson (Islander, Streets) and director Tania Azevedo (Mayflies, But I’m a Cheerleader), Ballad Lines is described as a heart-opening new musical that shines a light on identity, belonging and the stories we choose to carry with us.
Ballad Lines is co-written by Anderson and 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 mnager 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 coproduced with Wolk Transfer Company and TRW Production.
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.
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, titled A Mother’s Song, received its world premiere in 2023 at Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling.
Ballad Lines runs at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from January 23 – March 21, 2026. Tickets here.
Top image: Ballad Lines announcement artwork (image supplied)