STARLIGHT EXPRESS Reveals Starlight Auditorium and New Production Details

Starlight Express has revealed new production details, including a first look at the Starlight Auditorium at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.

Andrew Lloyd Webber told the Telegraph that there will be a new number added to the show called "Hydrogen," written by Webber and lyricist Joe Stilgoe.

"The show could be a museum piece, but I thought we can’t be ­saying that dirty [coal-powered] old steam trains are wonderful. There has been a lot of investment in hydrogen energy, and it occurred to me that instead of being nostalgic, we could have a show which suggests steam [courtesy of hydrogen] is the future," said Webber.

Director Luke Sheppard revealed further details about the production. Control will be played by a child, instead of a voice-over, and "all the cast will be wearing [micro]chips on their shoulders, which means the sound system knows at any point where they are in the space. If someone comes past you singing, it will track that in the speakers. The same goes for the lighting. That’s not been done on this scale before," said Sheppard.

Read the full Telegraph interview here.

STARLIGHT EXPRESS will introduce Jeevan Braich as Rusty, Kayna Montecillo as Pearl, Jade Marvin as Momma McCoy, Al Knott as Greaseball, Eve Humphrey as Dinah and Tom Pigram as Electra.

STARLIGHT EXPRESS casting also includes Ollie Augustin, Charles Butcher, Renz Cardenas, Catherine Cornwall, Jamie Cruttenden, Kelly Downing, Asher Forth, Sam Gallacher, Lucy Glover, Pablo Gómez Jones, Scott Hayward, Lilianna Hendy, Lewis Kidd, Hannah Kiss, Oscar Kong, Emily Martinez, Deearna Mclean, Marianthe Panas, David Peter-Brown, RED, Bethany Rose-Lythgoe, Ashley Rowe, Gary Sheridan, Elly Shaw, Jessica Vaux, Jaydon Vijn, Lara Vina Uzcatia, Sharon Wattis and Ashlyn Weekes. Further casting to be announced.

As a child’s train set magically comes to life and the engines race to become the fastest in the world, Rusty the steam train has little hope of winning until he is inspired by the legend of the ‘Starlight Express’.

Seen by over 20 million people across the world, STARLIGHT EXPRESS is a true theatrical event, fully immersing audiences of all ages inside a world of speed, song and storytelling, as the incredible cast of 40 whizz around and above, performing some of musical theatre’s most beloved songs, including AC/DC, Make Up My Heart, Light at the End of the Tunnel and the iconic Starlight Express. 

STARLIGHT EXPRESS has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, is directed by Luke Sheppard, with set designer Tim Hatley, video designer Andrzej Goulding, costume designer Gabriella Slade, lighting designer Howard Hudson, sound designer Gareth Owen, new orchestrations by Matthew Brind, Musical Supervision by Matthew Brind & David Wilson,  Musical Direction by Laura Bangay and Casting by Pearson Casting.

With thrilling new choreography by Ashley Nottingham, STARLIGHT EXPRESS also sees the return of Arlene Phillips as creative dramaturg.

The Starlight Auditorium at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre is a state-of-the-art cultural destination in Wembley Park, London’s most exciting new neighbourhood, only 12 minutes from central London. The venue is a short 5-minute walk from the tube, moments away from iconic Olympic Way. There are great parking options on site and the theatre is easily accessible via the M25 and M1.

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