“Thank you for renewing my faith in humanity.” “You don’t find kids like this anymore.” “What you guys need to be marketing is your smiles and happiness.” “This is what this country needs right now. You guys have embodied the American spirit.”

Many emotional responses like these to Celtic Throne—The Royal Journey of Irish Dance are inspired by something special, something beyond dance and showmanship and even storytelling. This step-dance and musical production—produced by the Philadelphia Church of God, publisher of the Trumpet—completed its fifth summer tour on July 7 with its 67th performance to date. Its dozens of performers—almost entirely students, from elementary-school age through college—provide a window into a beautiful way of life.

Featuring music by award-winning composer Brian Byrne, the show portrays the history of Irish step-dancing, tracing it back to “a great king in Jerusalem” and forward through the centuries to the peoples of Ireland, Scotland, England and the United States—and into the future. The king is David of Israel, who “danced before the Lord with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14), the peoples are descendants of ancient Israel, and the history is both biblical and secular, as summarized in The United States and Britain in Prophecy, by Herbert W. Armstrong. And while those few who are familiar with this history see the show in even more vivid light, Celtic Throne delivers a message not with scripture citations or preaching, but with something else, something that has stirred hundreds or thousands of concertgoers: an experience.

“The response to the show has far exceeded our expectations,” Celtic Throne codirector and Trumpet contributor Brad Macdonald said. “Every single show we have numerous members of the audience visibly moved by the inspiration and hope, by the powerful family element. It’s not uncommon for people to be sobbing with delight.”

Some audience members and theater crew have compared the show to Riverdance and other productions they have seen, many candidly favoring Celtic Throne, partly because of the quality of the production, but mostly because of a spirit and attitude they see on stage, backstage and in the lobby as the young dancers greet visitors following the show.

Audience members, theater employees and acquaintances made at hotels and elsewhere along the way have told performers that they were moved, even to tears, not just by the uplifting, energetic performance but also by the camaraderie and cheerful personalities of the dancers, from the eldest and most skilled down to the youngest.

Since the show’s first season in 2020, more than 35,000 tickets have been sold as dozens of crowds have watched a Celtic Throne performance at Armstrong Auditorium or on tour in 21 states and Washington, D.C., with thousands more having watched live online. Guests of honor have included Gen. Michael Flynn, filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza and Irish dance star John Carey, who characterized the experience as “on par with anything I’ve ever seen.”

Flynn, who saw Celtic Throne last summer during a two-day visit to the pcg campus and interview for the Trumpet Daily podcast, had a similar reaction to many. Visiting the dancers backstage, he told them with emotion in his voice, “You are inspiring this nation, and that’s something that we need right now.”

While the crowd sizes have grown, Macdonald said, “We don’t focus on the numbers: Our goal is to connect with the audience—everyone in the audience—no matter how big.”

The Celtic Throne family is literally family, with most of the 70-person cast and crew being sisters, brothers, cousins, fathers and mothers. One theater employee said, “If you guys hadn’t said in the show that you were related, I would have asked, because there is a family element in the show that we pick up on.” Another said, “We are part of you guys’ family.”

The entire troupe comes from a spiritual family: the Philadelphia Church of God. Students from Herbert W. Armstrong College and Imperial Academy, staff members of the Church and others work together on the show, which they believe to be part of the same commission as the Trumpet: to deliver the Bible-derived message of warning and hope—in this case, with a powerful, experiential emphasis on the hope.

The show has performed 19 times in Armstrong Auditorium at the Church’s headquarters. Additional performances are planned, including possible performances overseas, and preparations are underway for Celtic Throne II.