Starlight Express is a
rock musical by
Andrew Lloyd Webber (music),
Richard Stilgoe (lyrics) and
Arlene Phillips (
choreography), with revisions by
Don Black (lyrics, 'Next Time You Fall in Love'),
David Yazbek (music and lyrics for the second US tour) and Alistair Lloyd Webber & Nick Coler (composer and lyricist respectively, 'I Do' added for the second UK tour). The actors famously perform wearing
roller skates. In the story, a child’s train set magically comes to life and the various engines compete to become the “Fastest – engine in the World”! The underdog, Rusty the Steam train, has little chance until he is inspired by the legend of the “Starlight Express” and ultimately defeats his arch-rivals “Greaseball” and ‘Electra before going on to win the hand of the lovely first class coach, Pearl.