Cilla The Musical Tickets

Cilla the Musical has been a long time coming. There have been countless weeks of open auditions at venues up and down the UK, held by the producers of the show who were seeking the perfect actor to play Cilla herself. Now they've found her – meet the deliciously talented Kara Lily Hayworth, who fought off thousands of hopeful wannabe stars to play the role of Cilla, in a unique musical celebrating the star’s life.

What can you expect? Look forward to a spectacular, heart-warming musical adaptation of the brilliant TV mini-series based on the star's early days, created by the BAFTA award winning Jeff Pope. Pope himself also comes with immaculate entertainment credentials, respected for his work on The Moorside, Philomena, From The Cradle To The Grave and Mrs Biggs. The musical opens in Cilla’s hometown, Liverpool, playing at The Empire from early September before taking off on a tour of the nation.

The actress playing Cilla queued for four hours outside London’s Dominion Theatre to audition for the first round. She made it to the last 30 before being chosen to do her final audition, which took place at the infamous Cavern Club in Liverpool. The producers were looking for an actress who could capture Cilla's spirit, and by all accounts Kara scored high on every count, a woman with a big personality and a truly remarkable voice. The Cavern audience's reaction sealed the decision. According to Cilla's son, she was the one his mother would have chosen.

Kara hails from Watford. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and recently appeared in Secret Cinema’s hugely popular Moulin Rouge. This is her first big musical role. And it's also her first time on tour. But best of all she actually met Cilla Black in real life, as a child, and she never forgot the experience. Like millions of us Kara watched Cilla on Blind Date every Saturday night, and she's apparently honoured to play the role.

An ordinary teenage girl from Liverpool, Priscilla White enjoyed a rocky rise to fame and fortune. At just 25 she was already internationally recognised as a music chart star. By thirty she was already the nation's best-loved TV entertainer. The show features a string of smash hits from the 1960s including Cilla's own hits Anyone Who Had a Heart, Alfie and Something Tells Me, plus a load of wonderful 'Liverpool Sound' tunes and songs from farther afield from bands like The Beatles and The Mamas and The Papas. A totally fabulous show, packed solid with the feel-good factor.