Starlight Express - Television, Film and Other Media

Television, Film and Other Media

Starlight Express has made countless appearances on TV over the past 25 years, notably:

• Syesha Mercado of American Idol 2008 performed the song "One Rock 'N' Roll Too Many" during the show for Andrew Lloyd Webber week. The same version was also performed by the female Eurovision hopefuls on Andrew Lloyd Webber's talent show, Your Country Needs You in January 2009.
• In the UK, Cilla Black's TV show Moment of Truth (2000) included the London cast of Starlight Express in a family challenge.
• Matthew Kelly, on his show You Bet!, was challenged to dress up as Electra and perform stunts with the cast.
• Pop singer Kate Nash released a video including the cast skating round the piano as she played (2007).
• In 2004, Norwegian State Railways celebrated their 150 year anniversary at Oslo Spektrum Arena in Oslo, Norway. As part of the show, the song Light at the End of the Tunnel was performed and at the end of the song a real NSB Class 73 locomotive in fullsize entered the stage.
• In Germany, the show 'Wunsche Werden Wahr', where kids have their wishes granted, involved Starlight Express three times. One girl dressed up as Pearl and Performed 'Hilf Mir Verstehn'. Another dressed as Dinah and went skating with Greaseball. And thirdly, a small girl dressed as Pearl and performed 'Crazy' with the cast.
• Pebble Mill, a show with British gardener Alan Titchmarsh, involved five songs from the show – 'the Overture', 'Rolling Stock', 'Starlight Express', 'U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D.', and 'Light At The End Of The Tunnel'. Control announced the entry of 'Mr. Alan Titchmarsh' who – guess what – came in on rollerskates.
• Car company Ford released a number of commercials with the German cast in 2003. One included a family getting stopped at a train crossing. When the train arrives, it is headed by Rusty with the rest of the cast in tow.
• In 1992, the cast also made a special appearance at the Royal Variety Performance, performing 'Starlight Express' and 'Light At The End Of The Tunnel'.
• Reno 911 made a reference to the show.
• In 1985, Italian singer/dancer Raffaella Carrà released a video of herself performing a medley from Starlight Express. The Medley included; "Rolling Stock", "He Whistled at Me", "I Am the Starlight", "Only He", "Baby Iron", "There's Me", "Light at the End of the Tunnel". The video was based on the original London production, starring Raffaella Carrà as Pearl. The backing dancers and singer were all dressed as characters from the show, though none were on rollerskates except the actor playing Rusty. The set mimicked the London setting.
• Starlight Express has appeared on children's magazine show, Blue Peter twice over the last decade. In 2001, the London cast performed 'Pumping Iron' and 'The Megamix'. In the third year of the UK tour, presenter Andy Akinwolere was challenged to perform 'Crazy' as Rusty with the coaches. He wore rollerblades, rather than quadskates.
• The theme song from the show was mocked on Season 8 Episode 12, titled "Extra-Large Medium", of the popular comedy cartoon show Family Guy as Peter repeated "Starlight Express" while skating in circles by himself. Then stopping in the middle of the stage and progressively getting more angry, yet continuing to repeat "Starlight Express" before finally throwing his helmet down and storming off stage.
• The video game Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies features a celestial train known as the Starflight Express.