Starlight Express World Tour to open in Leicester
The iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical is touring
Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals today confirms initial dates and venues for the highly anticipated world tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s STARLIGHT EXPRESS.
The beloved musical made a triumphant return to London when the new production opened to widespread critical acclaim at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in June 2024. It went on to win multiple awards, including an Olivier Award and a record-breaking seven WhatsOnStage Awards, and became London’s longest running revival of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical in 20 years.
This thrilling new production has been redesigned for theatres across the UK and beyond, bringing all the spectacle and high-speed energy of the London production to your doorstep. Opening in Leicester at Curve from 9 - 22 May 2027, the world tour of STARLIGHT EXPRESS will then tour to Liverpool, Glasgow, Sunderland, Birmingham and Southampton, with many more cities still to be announced, including dates in Canada and Australia.
For more information on tour venues and to be the first in line for tickets, please go to tour.starlightexpress.com
Michael Harrison said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be launching this major new tour of STARLIGHT EXPRESS. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s extraordinary score, combined with the show’s unique sense of spectacle, exhilaration and heart, continues to captivate audiences across generations. This exciting new production builds on everything people love about the show, featuring a dynamic new set design by Tim Hatley. It’s going to be an unmissable theatrical event, pulling into a station near you.”
Seen by over 30 million people across the world, STARLIGHT EXPRESS is an electrifying experience for all ages. Feel the rush as an incredible cast whizzes by 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.
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’.
Casting is still to be announced for the world tour of STARLIGHT EXPRESS, which has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. This new production is directed by Luke Sheppard, with set designs by Tim Hatley, costume designs by Gabriella Slade, lighting designs by Howard Hudson, sound designs by Gareth Owen, new orchestrations by Matthew Brind with Andrew Lloyd Webber, and music supervision by Matthew Brind and David Andrew Wilson. Choreography is by Ashley Nottingham and Arlene Phillips is creative dramaturg for the production.
STARLIGHT EXPRESS will run at Curve in Leicester from Sunday 9 May - Saturday 27 May 2027. Tickets are on sale for Made at Curve Circle, Champions and Patrols from Tuesday 19 May, Curve Friends from Wednesday 20 May, Loyalty Pass Holders, Groups and Access register customers from Thursday 21 May and on general sale from Tuesday 26 May 2026, all at 12pm midday. To find out more, visit www.curveonline.co.uk, call 0116 242 3595 or visit Curve’s Box Office in-person.