Explore this Show

Overview

Synopsis

A child’s train set magically comes to life while he sleeps and the various engines compete to become the “Fastest engine in the World!” The underdog, Rusty the Steam train, dreams of becoming the champion but he is belittled by Greaseball, an arrogant diesel train, and Electra, the new electric engine. Encouraged by Poppa, an aging steam train, he turns to the legend of the “Starlight Express” and begs for her help. With her assistance, Rusty realizes that he already has the power to win deep inside himself. He ultimately defeats his archrivals Greaseball and Electra, winning the heart of the lovely first class coach, Pearl, who is waiting for her dream train. Performed entirely on roller skates, Starlight Express is a visual and aural explosion of the senses.

Show Information

Music
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics
Richard Stilgoe , Don Black
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1984
Genres
Fairy Tale/Fantasy
Settings
Fantasy/Imaginary, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
The World Championship Railroad Race (as imagined by a young boy)
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Small
Dancing
Heavy
Licensor
Concord Theatricals
Ideal For
College/University, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, High School, Diverse Cast, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Late Teen, Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Child Characters, Large Cast

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Rusty

Lead

Male

Tenor

Pearl

Lead

Female

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano

Greaseball

Supporting

Male

Baritone, Tenor

Poppa

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Duvay

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Buffy

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Electra

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Dinah

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

National Champions

Featured

Male

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

The Components

Featured

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass

The Hip Hoppers

Featured

Male

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

The Red Caboose

Featured

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Dustin

Featured

Male

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Flat Top

Featured

Male

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Control

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Songs

Act One

  • Overture - Orchestra
  • “Entry of National Trains” - Control
  • “Rolling Stock” - Greaseball, Company
  • “After Rolling Stock” - Rusty, Greaseball, Nintendo, Ruhrgold, Turnov, Control, Dinah, Buffy, Duvay, Pearl, Company
  • “Rusty Cannot be Serious” - Duvay, Buffy, Dinah, Pearl, Company
  • “A Whole Lotta Locomotion” - Control, Dinah, Buffy, Duvay, Pearl
  • “He’ll Whistle at Me” - Pearl, Coaches
  • “Freight” - Dinah, Buffy, Pearl, Duvay, Trucks, Control, Hip Hoppers, Flat Top, Caboose, Dustin, Greaseball, Nintendo, Ruhrgold, Turnov, Company
  • “AC/DC” - Electra, Components
  • “Pumping Iron” - Dinah, Buffy, Duvay, Pearl, Greaseball, Hip Hoppers, Components
  • “Coda of Freight” - Company
  • “Crazy” - Rusty, Coaches, Pearl
  • “Pearl, You’ve Been Honored” - Purse, Rusty, Pearl
  • “Make Up My Heart” - Pearl, Rusty
  • “Race One” - Control, Greaseball, Ruhrgold, Electra
  • “Poppa’s Blues” - Poppa, Hip Hoppers, Flat Top, Dustin
  • “After Blues” - Poppa, Rusty, Hip Hoppers, Flat Top, Dustin
  • “Starlight Short” - Poppa, Control, Hip Hoppers, Rusty, Flat Top, Dustin
  • “Race Two” - Poppa, Control, Nintendo, Turnov
  • “Laughing Stock” - Rusty, Dustin, Poppa, Greaseball & Gang, Flat Top, Hip Hoppers, Caboose, Dustin, Electra, Pearl
  • “Starlight Express” - Rusty

Act Two

  • “The Rap” - Hip Hoppers, Control, Electra, Components, Greaseball, Caboose, Dinah
  • “U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D.” - Dinah
  • “Girls’ Rolling Stock” - Buffy, Duvay, Dinah
  • “Dinah You’re Honored” - Purse, Dinah, Buffy, Duvay, Caboose, Greaseball
  • “Race Three” - Control, Greaseball, Electra, Rusty
  • “Terrorizing Rusty” - Greaseball & Gang, Electra, Caboose, Flat Top, Rusty, Pearl
  • “Right Place, Right Time” - Rusty, Hip Hoppers
  • “Rusty Alone” - Rusty
  • “Starlight Sequence” - Rusty, Starlight
  • “Rusty and Dustin” - Rusty, Dustin
  • “Dinah’s Disco” - Dinah, Electra, Caboose, Control
  • “Pre-Race Four” - Greaseball, Pearl, Electra, Caboose, Rusty, Dustin, Company
  • “Race Four” - Control
  • “One Rock ‘n’ Roll Too Many” - Electra, Greaseball, Caboose
  • “After Rock ‘n’ Roll” - Control, Poppa, Dustin
  • “I Do” - Pearl, Rusty
  • “Long Live Rusty” - Dinah, Greaseball, Electra, Company
  • “Light at the End of the Tunnel” - Poppa, Company
  • “Megamix” - Company

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

All monologues are the property and copyright of their owners.. Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this monologue, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

Videos

Quizzes

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.

Quote Analysis

Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.

Guide Written By:

Alexandra Appleton

Alexandra Appleton

Writer, editor and theatre researcher