"Women of Ireland," a full-scale production featuring traditional Irish music and dance, will be staged at 8 p.m. March 7, State Theatre for the Arts, 453 Northampton St., Easton by a mostly female group of performers. Each of the female singers, dancers and musicians featured in the show is a native of Ireland and trained in classic Irish song and dance.

Kelly McDonnell, principal dancer, joined "Women of Ireland" in 2012. She previously performed with the touring Irish dance production, "Dance of Desire."

"I love dance," says McDonnell in a recent phone interview. "I have been training all my life, and have been performing for the past 14 years. I love travelling the world and dancing."

The North American tour includes vocalists The O'Neil Sisters (Fiona, Naomi and Evangeline), lead dancer McDonnell and fiddler Niamh Gallagher.

The production has a 20-member company of top female performers in the Irish music tradition performing alongside world-class musicians, singers and dancers.

McDonnell believes that the appeal of "Women of Ireland" comes from its mixture of traditional and contemporary Irish music. "We modernize the older songs," she explains, "without losing the roots of the music. That's what the audience likes to see."

"Women of Ireland" has been described as "mesmerizing" by the Irish Examiner.

The show's title references a piece of music of the same name known in the Irish language as "Mná na hÉireann," which translates as "Women of Ireland."

"The show features very strong women who bring lots of strong ballads and dance to make for a modern Irish show," relates McDonnell. "One of my favorite numbers is called 'One Tin Soldier.' It has beautiful detailed costumes and interesting lighting. I love it."

McDonnell is grateful for the opportunity to see America and share her love of Irish culture with the audience. She laughingly admits that one of her favorite parts of touring the United States is the shopping:

"I'm a girly girl, and I love the shopping here."

However, she is quick to point out that what makes the tour so special to her are the people she performs for.

"I love people. After every show the cast makes a massive effort to meet and greet with everyone. I really enjoy meeting the audience and seeing the smiles on their faces."