Intro
What is sci-fi? Is it a bunch of anthropomorphic singing trains competing in a championship race that was formed in the mind of a child and represented by spandex and skates in a custom built roller rink 80s synth fantasia? If you answered yes, then you are ready to dive full speed ahead into our next show: Starlight Express. There is so much to say, I could easily write a book, but I’ll try to keep it brief.
Featured Musical: Starlight Express
Starlight Express is truly a one-of-a-kind musical spectacle directed by Trevor Nunn, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Premiering in London’s West End in 1984, it was a massive hit. It ran for 18 years in London, and spawned numerous international productions including a reality television show.
Plot Summary
The musical begins as a young boy drifts off to sleep while playing with his toy trains. In a move straight out of a Pixar film, the trains suddenly spring to life and gear up for a race to determine the fastest engine in the world. The story centers on Rusty, a steam engine who’s told he’s outdated compared to the shiny new diesel and electric trains. But Rusty believes in the power of the Starlight Express, a mythical train that’s part Santa Claus, part Obi-Wan Kenobi, and all heart. Like any classic Andrew Lloyd Webber show, we meet an eclectic cast of misfits through a series of lively introductory numbers. The big race follows, and Rusty must overcome his self-doubt to realize the Starlight was inside him all along. And of course, there’s a little train love story between Rusty and Pearl, a spirited observation car.
Themes
Starlight Express explores themes of self-belief, perseverance, and the clash between tradition and modernity. It’s a story about finding strength from within, even when the odds are stacked against you. The musical also touches on the idea of technological advancement, with the rivalry between steam, diesel, and electric engines serving as a metaphor for the ongoing struggle between the old and the new.
Music
The score of Starlight Express mashes together a grab bag of pastiche and musical styles. From rock and blues to pop ballads, the show’s songs mirror the larger-than-life personalities of its many trains. Since the show has been running for decades, the music has been periodically updated in an attempt to keep pace with shifting pop trends. This is especially obvious in the love songs and rap numbers, where the 1980s roots show unless they’ve had a recent tune-up. The heavy use of synthesizers and electronic beats, particularly in songs like “AC/DC” featuring the sleek electric train, adds to the show’s intentionally over-the-top, (and in my opinion) sci-fi vibe.
Song Highlights
- “He Whistled at Me”: This song has been cut, replaced, reworked, and revised. The melody comes from a song written long before the show was conceived and it’s catchy and fun. Usually sung by Pearl who is dreaming of her perfect match. She doesn’t see that Rusty has been there all along.
- “AC/DC”: The song by Electra, the train of the future, has some crazy modulations when he sings about frequency changes. It’s a creepy, crazy, exciting song that tells you a lot about the character and the world we are in: a little kid’s dream.
- “U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D.”: A country blues style solo by Dinah the Dining Car, lamenting her breakup with her partner. It’s cute and funny especially in the reprise when we find out that poor Greaseball can’t spell.
- “Starlight Express”: The titular song where Rusty calls upon the mythical Starlight Express for guidance and strength. The soaring melody and hopeful lyrics make it a standout moment in the show. I probably sing this song to myself at least once a week.
Characters
Starlight Express uses familiar character archetypes: the underdog hero, the flashy rival, the loyal sidekick as participants in the race. Rusty’s journey is a classic hero’s tale, while Electra and Greaseball represent the obstacles that must be overcome to achieve greatness.
- Rusty: The underdog steam engine who embodies the musical’s message of perseverance and belief in oneself. Rusty’s journey from self-doubt to victory is the emotional core of the story.
- Pearl: Rusty’s love interest and the little observation car who just can’t make up her heart.
- Electra: The flashy, high-tech electric engine who represents the future. Electra’s confidence and modernity pose a significant challenge to Rusty.
- Greaseball: The arrogant diesel engine who is initially seen as the favorite to win the race. Greaseball’s brash, rock-star persona makes him a memorable antagonist.
Performances
The original West End cast featured Ray Shell as Rusty, Jeffrey Daniel as Electra, and Stephanie Lawrence as Pearl, the observation car who becomes Rusty’s love interest. Finding performers who could handle the demands of the roles was a challenge, but Webber had a vision that this show could bring in a new, younger audience that was less likely to attend theater. Starlight Express ended up casting more Black performers than any other show on the West End combined at the time.
Some greats have played Dinah. Frances Ruffelle would go on to win a Tony as Eponine in Les Mis. And Jane Krakowski would go on to be iconic in TV and film. Andrea McArdle of Annie fame was also in the original Broadway cast as Ashley the Smoking Car, a role that was cut pretty early on. Reva Rice, who played Pearl in the original Broadway cast, went on to play Momma in the 2018 Anniversary production in Germany, and she continues to star there in the title role. Lon Satton who played the original Poppa (aka Starlight Express) was a jazz singer with Earl Hines and the Cotton Club Revue and moved to the UK to pursue a film and theatre career. He was in the cast from 1984 to 1996.
Visual and Special Effects
The innovative set design of Starlight Express features race tracks extending from the stage into the auditorium. There is also an enormous steel bridge which lifts and tilts to connect the many levels of the set. The costumes are equally striking, with each train’s design reflecting its personality from Rusty’s earthy, steam-powered look to Electra’s sleek, high-tech appearance. The use of roller skates as a stand-in for trains was groundbreaking as performers literally race at breakneck speed just inches from a captive audience. The top speed ever recorded by skater was 40 mph at a rehearsal.
John Napier won multiple awards for his designs in sets and costumes including the Tony Award for Best Costumes. He was also responsible for the set design of Cats, Miss Saigon, Les Mis, and Jesus Christ Superstar. He was basically the go-to guy for the most over the top shows of the most over the top era in musical theatre history.
The current revival in London has a design team that includes set designer Tim Hatley, video designer Andrzej Goulding, costume designer Gabriella Slade, and lighting designer Howard Hudson.
Fun Facts and Trivia
Thomas the Tank Engine
In 1974, Andrew Lloyd Webber approached Reverend W. Awdry about turning his Thomas the Tank Engine stories into an animated television series. At the time, Webber was looking for a break from the heavier material he was working on, like Evita. He thought a cheerful children’s show about trains might be just the change he needed. After meeting with Awdry, he began composing music and enlisted Peter Reeves, who had played the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, to write lyrics. They completed an animated pilot, but the production company passed, believing the series wouldn’t have enough appeal beyond the UK.
Of course, Thomas the Tank Engine would eventually become a wildly successful global franchise, long after Webber had moved on. His interest in trains, however, didn’t go away. He later teamed up with another train enthusiast, Cats director Trevor Nunn, and eventually named his production company The Really Useful Group, borrowing the phrase from Awdry’s “really useful engines.”
Engine of Love
Three years after the children’s show fell through, an American TV station invited Webber to compose songs for an animated film of Cinderella using trains. In this version of the story, the Prince holds a competition to decide which engine can pull the royal train across the USA. Cinderella is a steam engine and the ugly sisters are a diesel engine and an electric engine. The project didn’t work out, but Webber ending up meeting an American soul singer named Earl Jordan with a unique talent: he could sing three notes at the same time which sounded like a train whistle. Webber and Reeves wrote a novelty song called “Engine of Love” featuring Earl Jordan and the Steam Team. It never charted but it would go on to become a featured song in many versions of Starlight Express.
German Theater
The German production was developed directly after the show open on Broadway in 1987. They used a combination of the touring show, the American show, as well as the London production. Richard Stilgoe’s lyrics were translated in German by Sabine Grohmann and Wolfgang Adenberg. My favorite German lyric is “Fracht ist Macht” (Freight is Great). John Napier supervised significant costume and makeup redesigns, as well as adding costumes for several new characters. Andrew Lloyd Webber did not see the production until 1990, when he was in Hamburg to see the German premiere of The Phantom of the Opera.
Starlight Express also inspired a German reality television show in 2008 with the goal of finding the next Rusty and Pearl. The theatre in Bochum hit a Guinness World Record in 2010 for “the most visitors to a musical in a single theatre” with 13,044,148 patrons and counting. The show has run continuously since 1988 with only a few pauses for refurbishing and updating as well as a temporary closure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has undergone many revisions over the years. The show is always performed in German, except for the 2018 anniversary show which was performed in English. It was a relief for many of the actors whose first language is English.
Famous Fans
Starlight Express has had many famous fans over the years and of course it made headlines when Princess Diana and Prince (now King) Charles came to see the show for a charity gala performance in December 1984. Queen Elizabeth II had already attended earlier that year. Michael Jackson was also a big fan of the show and he attended many times especially to see his friend Jeffery Daniel who played Electra. Daniel was well known for being a former member of the R&B group Shalamar. He has also been credited with being the person who taught Jackson how to do his famous moonwalk, which is a dance move that had been around for many years before.
Cultural Impact
Starlight Express was a massive success in the West End, becoming one of the longest-running musicals in London’s history. Its appeal lay in its unique concept, dazzling visuals, and the sheer energy of the performances. However, its reception was more mixed on Broadway, where it ran for less than two years. Despite this, the musical has remained popular in regional theaters and international productions.
Starlight Express has influenced both the theater world and pop culture, inspiring everything from theme park shows to fan tributes. Its innovative use of roller skates in musical theater paved the way for more daring and unconventional staging techniques in future productions. The musical’s message of believing in oneself and embracing change continues to resonate with audiences of all ages.
Personal Reflection
I was on a school trip to London in high school when I saw the original production of Starlight Express on the West End and it was certainly an experience I’ll never forget. It opened up my mind to what musical theatre could be. Even if it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, it’s hard to deny over thirty years of international success. Below is my ticket from the show. I was in the Dress Circle where the trains raced right in front of me.
Another silly little fun fact about my youth is that (no surprise) I had a huge Broadway obsession. I painted several different Broadway show logos on my bedroom ceiling like a dorky little Sistine Chapel. One of them was Starlight Express. Here is a old damaged photo of the painting on my ceiling and another photo with me for scale:
Up Next
Next time, we’re diving headfirst into the glittery, gaudy galaxy of Earth Girls Are Easy. This cult classic crash-lands in the heart of 1980s kitsch, where three fuzzy extraterrestrials learn the ways of Earth love (and Earth fashion) from a Valley Girl with a broken heart and a hot tub. It’s part rom-com, part musical, and fully fabulous.
References
- Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library. “Full stage view of the stage production Starlight Express” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1987. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/867a5450-56dd-013a-2822-0242ac110002
- Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library. “Greg Mowry (2R), Jane Krakowski (L) and Andrea McArdle (C) in a scene from the Broadway production of the musical “Starlight Express”. (New York)” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1987. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/202b68c0-8445-0130-9b51-58d385a7bbd0
- Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library. “Greg Mowry (R) in a scene from the Broadway production of the musical “Starlight Express”. (New York)” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1987. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/204c7430-8445-0130-0b2c-58d385a7bbd0
- Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library. “Ken Ard in a scene from the Broadway production of the musical “Starlight Express”. (New York)” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1987. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/20bc9d80-8445-0130-e002-58d385a7bbd0
- Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library. “Robert Torti (T) and Jane Krakowski (B) in a scene from the Broadway production of the musical “Starlight Express”. (New York)” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1987. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/20f5d8f0-8445-0130-9cea-58d385a7bbd0
- “Home.” Guinness World Records, https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/index.html. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
- Michael Jackson 1958 – 2009 – TIME. (2009, June 26). TIME.com. https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1907409_1907413_1907560,00.html
- Pitts, J. (2024, June 30). Capitalism, optimism and diversity: how 80s musical Starlight Express changed my life. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/article/2024/jun/30/starlight-express-johny-pitts
- “Revisit This 1986 Interview with Andrew Lloyd Webber about His Then-New Musical Starlight Express.” Playbill, https://playbill.com/article/revisit-this-1986-interview-with-andrew-lloyd-webber-about-his-then-new-musical-starlight-express.
- Starlight Express • Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals. (n.d.). https://www.andrewlloydwebber.com/show/starlight-express?tab=timeline