When it comes to roles stage musicals star Jessica Daley likes “to ride the wave and see what comes up”. But she could never have anticipated what happened in 2024 when asked to take over the leading role in the musical Evita at just a few hours notice.

She was at the family home in Middlesbrough when the call came. Both the actress playing Eva Peron and her understudy in the Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber musical were ill and unable to perform at that night’s performance at Leicester’s Curve Theatre.

But the show did go on thanks to Jessica droving the 150 miles to Leicester and, after just a few hours rehearsal, was on stage in Evita, earning a standing ovation for her performance.

She’d previously played Eva Peron in an international tour, that included China, of Evita a few years previously. “Something like that reminds you of what you’re capable of,” she says during a break from rehearsing for the world premiere production of Military Wives – The Musical at York Theatre Royal from 10-27 September.

The show is written and directed by Debbie Isitt, inspired by the military wives choir and based on the film Military Wives. Jessica previously worked with Debbie on the tour of the Stock, Aitken and Waterman jukebox musical I Should Be So Lucky.

“Debbie is fantastic at bringing together a really good group of people and creating magic and that’s the reason I’m driven to her,” says Jessica, who first caught the public eye in BBC’s talent show Over the Rainbow to find a newcomer to star in a production of The Wizard of Oz.

Jessica didn’t win but was told by judge Andrew Lloyd-Weber “You’re incredibly talented”. She hasn’t looked back, starring in a string of big musicals including Les Miserables, White Christmas, Grease and, of course, Evita.

She was only 18 at the time of the talent competition and waiting to hear if she’d won a scholarship to drama school having appeared in youth theatre in Middlesbrough. “I never expected to go that far in the competition. I just wanted to take opportunities as they came up. It kept snowballing, getting bigger and bigger. I could never have imagined at the time that it was going to be such an amazing experience,” she explains.

“I loved musicals growing up. I’ve always wanted to be on the stage. I’ve been on a unique journey to where I am today.”

The 12 month international tour of Evita that included dates in China came early in her career and was something of a culture shock. “You need to maintain your health and keep on top of things without any home comforts which is hard when you’re on the other side of the world,” she says.

“But I get paid to do an incredible job and see the world. I’m always grateful when those jobs come up.”

At the same time she’ll always take the opportunity to be an ambassador for her home town of Middlesbrough and Teesside. She’s pleased to be playing her Military Wives character in her own accent.

“I love the fact that I can use my own accent. I am very proud of where I come from and have a lot to thank Teesside for and the people, the community there. It helps to make it feel more authentic and feels quite natural. All the wives are very different as military wives are.”

One of her favourite roles was Billy’s mum in the musical Billy Elliot in a production at Leicester Curse. “The majority of the cast were from the North-East and it was a new version. It felt we were producing something special. That will always be one of my favourites,” she adds.

Her military wife Jenny is a mum too – a mother of four who finds a new lease of life through the choir. Jessica met real life military wives while doing workshops for the new musical.

After Military Wives - the Musical, she’ll be on stage in Sunderland, joining a production of Kinky Boots which, after the North-East, will embark on a European tour.

She also features in the second Wicked film, after doing a day’s work on it. “That was really exciting,” she says.

Military Wives – The Musical is at York Theatre Royal, 10-27 September. Box office 01904 623568 / yorktheatreroyal.co.uk