Theatre News

Former cast members get skates on for new Starlight tour

Full casting has been announced for the UK tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe‘s 1984 musical Starlight Express which, as was previously reported, will tour from the New Wimbledon on 10 May 2012.

Mykal Rand, who joined the cast of Starlight Express in 1987 and has since performed in over six different productions of the show, will don his skates again to play Electra.

Joining him on stage will be fellow former cast members Kristofer Harding as Rusty (Starlight Express 2007 UK Tour), Jamie Capewell as Greaseball (West End, UK Tour & Buchum) Lothair Eaton as Poppa (Las Vegas, Bochum and New Zealand), Amanda Coutts as Pearl (Bochum) and Ruthie Stephens as Dinah (UK Tour 2004 – 2008).

The cast also includes: Kelsie Cobban, Camilla Hardy, Robert Nurse, Lex Milczarek, Glenn Robb, Stuart Armfield, Gavin Ashbarry, James Marshall, Nick Bower, Kris Manuel, Andy Barke, Tristan Adams, Matt King, Adam Illsley, Lisa Dahmane, Louise Lenihan, Sarah Riches, Aaron Piper, Darryl Paul Saunders, Tony Andrade, Kerry Stammers and Samantha Foker.

Following Wimbledon Starlight Express will travel
to Bradford, Salford, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Nottingham,
Southend, Llandudno, Aberdeen and Hull, ending up in Londonderry on 9
February 2013.

An
image from the previous tour of Starlight Express. Photo credit:
Jens Hauer

Arlene Phillips, West End choreographer and judge on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, is returning to the show as director and choreographer. Phillips choreographed the original West End production and has directed
and choreographed several subsequent revivals of the show. Her other
stage credits include Saturday Night Fever, The Sound of Music, Grease, We Will Rock You and Jesus Christ Superstar.

Starlight Express, which was written for two of
Lloyd-Webber’s children as a tribute to the era of steam trains, is
performed entirely on roller skates. The musical originally opened at
the West End’s Apollo Victoria on 27 March 1984, playing 7,406
performances during its 18-year run to 12 January 2002.

The musical’s 2012 tour is being produced by Bill Kenwright Ltd, by
special arrangement with Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s Really Useful Group.


Meet the cast on our Whatsonstage.com Outing to STARLIGHT EXPRESS at the New Wimbledon Theatre on 15 May 2012.
You’ll get a top-price ticket, a FREE programme and an EXCLUSIVE post-show meet & greet, all for only £30.00 !! (Normally £38.50 for ticket alone).