Skate aboard the Starlight Express

Just imagine for a minute that you’re an excellent singer, dancer and actor. You’d think you would be all set for a glorious career on Broadway, wouldn’t you? Well, not if you were auditioning to star in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express. For that, you’d need to be able to do all of that … on roller skates.

There is a good reason the entire cast of 28 needs to be on skates — besides the inherent kitsch factor of a rock musical created in camp-tastic 1984. If you aren’t already familiar with the show, Lloyd Webber’s hit musical tells the story of a little boy’s dream, in which his toy train set comes to life. The audience has to believe that the performers zooming about on wheels are actually toy trains racing to be the fastest engines in the world.

“Casting this show is always a challenge, as finding people who can do all three (sing, dance and act) — let alone on skates — is difficult enough,” said Starlight Express choreographer Arlene Phillips, who worked with skating consultant Michal Fraley to get everyone’s roller-skating skills up to scratch. Fraley, by the way, has trained more than 750 performers for seven productions around the world since the original Broadway cast in New York.

“That’s why the performers we find are so special,” said Phillips. “They are the most fearless performers in the industry.”

True. All those Cats actors have to do is clean their faces with their paws.

Q: Arlene, you’ve also choreographed massive productions like The Wizard Of Oz, The Sound Of Music, Grease and Saturday Night Fever. What is the difference between choreographing dance routines with and without skates?

Arlene Phillips: Everyone learns to skate before they start the show in what we call our “Skate School”, so that when they start, they are all ready to tackle my tricky choreography! I don’t let skates get in the way of the movement I want to create.

Q: When you’re choreographing a show as complicated as Starlight Express — where there are so many components to consider — what is the first thing you take care of?

AP: The most important thing overall is that everybody is on stage where they’re supposed to be and that they are focused — one person out of place and you’ve got a disaster waiting to happen. Starlight Express also has a backstage show as well as the one the audience sees, (with the performers) passing each other extremely carefully backstage.

Q: How do you convince the audience that the people they see on stage are actually trains?

AP: As with any theatrical production, you have to suspend your disbelief. I think people who come to Starlight Express get caught up in the excitement and, by the end, are shouting and rooting for the trains as loud as they can. Of course John Napier’s costumes, which turn them from humans to trains, help considerably!

Q: Michal, you used to train competitive skaters before you were hired to coach the performers. What is most challenging about teaching non-professionals how to roller-skate in a short period of time?

Michal Fraley: Great question! The attitude of perfection, of always working to perfect one’s sports performance remains, but the skating moves (based on the direction and choreography) must take priority over perfecting technique. In competition, each judge gives the skater two scores, one for artistic impression and one for technical merit. They are merged to create the final score. When teaching the performers of Starlight Express, it’s more as if the artistic score is the only one that matters. In fact, in showbiz, the technically difficult move is not always the one enjoyed by the audience.

Q: What it is like working with the great Andrew Lloyd Webber?

AP: It’s always a brilliant challenge to work with Andrew. His vision and passion for what he wants can bring some interesting challenges, and there is never a dull day when Andrew is in the theatre!

MF: I’ve spent much less time with Andrew than with Arlene. He is quite a creative force up close. His feelings about the form or style of music he’s using in any particular section of the show are very strong and, based on what I see, he has an impressive degree of knowledge. For example, he recently described the main race music theme as needing to be “gladiatorial” — as he was playing it on the grand piano in his office!

Q: Michal, what do you love most about skating?

MF: I love the variety of expression available on skates, whether it’s telling a rags-to-riches story about a young steam train, doing artistic skating competitions, a roller derby bout, or just skating down the beach boardwalk while on vacation … It’s amazing to do what I love, teach skating and be part of theatre at the same time.

Q: Arlene, can you imagine living life without dance?

AP: Never! Dance is and has been my life since I was a child, and I will continue to love the beauty and expression of dance forever.

Q: I am terribly uncoordinated. What would you say to people like me to help us be better dancers?

AP: I always say if you can walk, you can dance. Everyone has a bit of hidden rhythm inside them — you just need the confidence to bring it out.

What: Starlight Express

When: Begins Nov 13

Where: Mastercard Theatres — Grand Theatre, Marina Bay Sands

Tickets: www.marinabaysands.com/ticketing