Electra the Electric Engine is a fictional character

Fictional character

A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

 from the rock musical Starlight Express

Starlight Express

Starlight Express is a rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber , Richard Stilgoe and Arlene Phillips , with later revisions by Don Black and David Yazbek . The story follows a child's dream in which his toy train set comes to life; famously the actors perform wearing roller skates...

.

Electra is the newest train to enter the yard and, therefore, Control's newest toy. He comes with his own line of components that are loyal to him. He's rich, self-centered and sexy. His eyes are set on Pearl

Pearl the Observation Car

Pearl is the "new girl" character and female lead in the West End musical Starlight Express. She is a railway observation carriage, although in Germany she is referred to as the "first class car"...

 and they race in the heats until she chooses Greaseball

Greaseball the Diesel

Greaseball is a character in the rock musical Starlight Express. He is the alpha male of the train yard. He's self confident, suave and a heartbreaker. All the ladies loves him but Dinah is his main squeeze. He and his gang put Rusty down, breaking his spirits. He trips Rusty during one of the...

. Electra then takes Dinah

Dinah the Dining Car

Dinah is the sweet, Southern and lovable dining car from Starlight Express. She is hopelessly in love with Greaseball and her best friend is Pearl the observation car. She races with Greaseball during the 1st Heat but when she complains about his cheating afterwards, he uncouples her and races...

 for the uphill Final after Greaseball

Greaseball the Diesel

Greaseball is a character in the rock musical Starlight Express. He is the alpha male of the train yard. He's self confident, suave and a heartbreaker. All the ladies loves him but Dinah is his main squeeze. He and his gang put Rusty down, breaking his spirits. He trips Rusty during one of the...

 dumps her. Dissatisfied with his performance, Dinah disconnects herself from him and he calls for CB to race with him for the re-run Final. In the end, he crashes along with Greaseball and CB.

Character

Electra is, from the moment he enters, seen as some sort of Prima Donna

Prima donna

Originally used in opera or Commedia dell'arte companies, "prima donna" is Italian for "first lady." The term was used to designate the leading female singer in the opera company, the person to whom the prime roles would be given. The prima donna was normally, but not necessarily, a soprano...

. Even before then, as we meet his components, we aretold he is a "megastar" and "rich, and cool". He also seems to think a lot of himself, and the subtext in his song (along with choreography and his character tick-overs) suggests he is AC/DC

Bisexuality

Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...

.

Inspiration

Electra's character is influenced by David Bowie

David Bowie

David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...

, an androgynous Rock Star. He, along with Greaseball the Diesel

Greaseball the Diesel

Greaseball is a character in the rock musical Starlight Express. He is the alpha male of the train yard. He's self confident, suave and a heartbreaker. All the ladies loves him but Dinah is his main squeeze. He and his gang put Rusty down, breaking his spirits. He trips Rusty during one of the...

, are the Ugly stepsisters in the original concept of the show being Cinderella

Cinderella

"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...

 for trains. He also reminds some of the Rum Tum Tugger

Rum Tum Tugger

Rum Tum Tugger is one of the many feline characters in the poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot, published in 1939, and in the musical Cats which was based on Eliot's book....

 from the musical Cats

Cats (musical)

Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...

because both are vain, sexy and rebellious.

Musical numbers

Electra sings "AC/DC", his opening theme and also features in group numbers. In the Original London version he has a second solo "No Comeback", which he sings as he leaves in a rage after losing the Race final to Rusty. This song did not appear in any subsequent productions.
He now sings "One Rock 'n' Roll Too Many" with Greaseball and Caboose.

Costume

Electra's costume is based on a palatte of electric blue, silver and red. He is patterned to resemble computer circuitry. His impressive mohawk is usually styled to resemble frayed wire, but when played by John Partridge

John Partridge (performer)

John Partridge is an English actor, singer, dancer, panelist and television presenter, who is probably best known for the role of Christian Clarke in the long-running BBC television soap opera EastEnders, having joined the cast in January 2008...

 his head was shaved and painted. His look bears a passing resemblance to other mechanoids, Transformers. As one of the most eye-catching designs, Electra is often used for advertising the show.

Electra's Components are designed to represent elements of a Superstar's entourage. Krupp is the Chauffeur and Bodyguard, represented in his uniformed hat, sunshades and gun holster. Wrench, as a mechanic, wears a welding apron and her hat represents the crane found on repair trucks. Purse wears pinstripes as suits an accountant. Joule's London design reflected her Animal Truck origin, her skintight red/grey costume and white bib resembling Bombalurina from the musical Cats

Cats (musical)

Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...

. Volta wears elegant black, her hair styled into a fan, reflecting her nature of a Freezer Truck. All the component's costumes are designed on a restricted colour palatte of Red, Electric Blue, Silver/Grey and Black, this reinforces their relationship to Electra onstage.

In Starlight on Ice, Electra and the components' outfits change. Instead of being colorful, Electra is now bright "warning sign" yellow with a matching mohawk. His look is much sleeker and bears no resemblance to the original design. The components wear very similar outfits which are yellow and silver.

Electra's make-up

Electra's make-up is an assortment of blue, silver and red glittered stripes, patterns and lipstick, as well as a pair of long, silver eyelashes. In the London production, his look was less camp, and he had a black and white checkered pattern on one side of his face.

Actors

London

• Jeffrey Daniel
  Jeffrey Daniel
  Jeffrey Daniel is an American dancer, singer-songwriter and choreographer, most notable for being a member of the R&B vocal group Shalamar. In Nigeria he is best known as an Idol series judge...
  
  
• Tom Jobe
• Maynard Williams
• Koffi Missah
• Christian Hughes
• Greg Ellis
  Greg Ellis (actor)
  Greg Ellis is an English actor known for his TV, movie, and video game voice over work. He has appeared in films such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the 2009 Star Trek film , Titanic, Beowulf, To End All Wars, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith...
  
  
• John Partridge
  John Partridge (performer)
  John Partridge is an English actor, singer, dancer, panelist and television presenter, who is probably best known for the role of Christian Clarke in the long-running BBC television soap opera EastEnders, having joined the cast in January 2008...
  
  
• Richard Mylan
  Richard Mylan
  Richard Mylan is a British stage and television actor and former dancer.He was born in Swansea in 1973. There he attended the Birchgrove junior school, where he played rugby and in 1982 won the Swansea heat of the British 'Disco Kids Championships'...
  
  
• Chris Lennon
• Spencer Stafford
• Grant Anthony
• Chris Copeland

Broadway

• Ken Ard

Japan/Australia

• David Michael Johnson

First US Tour

• Eric Clausell
• Michael Demby Cain

Bochum

• Eric Clausell
• David Michael Johnson
• CE Wallace Jnr
• Koffi Missah
• Mykal Rand
• John Eric Parker
• Andreas Wolfram
• Paul Hazel
• Robert S Drummond III
• Paul J Dudley
• Richard Woodford
• Leon Maurice Jones
• Gareth Bretherton

Japan Tour

• Mykal Rand

Las Vegas

• Anthony T. Perry
• Eric Clausell
• Regi Jennings

Mexico

• Jaime Rojas

On Ice

• Hank Green

Second US tour

• Dustin Dubreuil

UK Tour

• Mykal Rand

New Zealand Tour

• Mykal Rand/Matthew Pike

Electra's components

• Krupp - is the Armaments truck and Electra's body guard. In the Later London version he raced with Nintendo the Japanese engine. He was cut from the US and UK tours.

• Volta - Electra's freezer truck and original race partner. Her look is cool and elegant, a very classy lady but she can be scary when angered.

• Joule - Starting out as Electra's animal truck, Joule is one of the trucks who has changed the most since the show's opening. Now as the dynamite truck, Joule is the most sensual of Electra's cars. She has been seen pole dancing at the edge of the stage and when Ruhrgold, her London racing partner lost their race, she spanked him all the way off stage.

• Wrench - Electra's repair truck. She has a temper and can be rather scary when angered. Although a female character, she has been cast male in the German production over recent years.

• Purse - Electra's most valuable car, his money truck. He also serves as a messenger. He doesn't race. His anthropomorphic tendencies and tickovers are based on his being an accountant. He also has, if you can get close enough to look, a coin in the palm of his hand.

The components costumes, headresses and make-up are just as fantastical as Electra's, following very similar ideas for fabric and embellishments.

Krupp

London

• Eddie Kemp
• Garry Noakes
• George Canning
• Michael Skyers
• Julian Cannonier
• Paul Aloysius
• Richard Ray Allen

Broadway

• Joey McKneeley
• Mark Frawley

Japan/Australia

• Krupp 1 – Wilton Anderson
• Krupp 2 – Bernie Blanks

First US Tour

• Nelson Yee

Bochum

• Wilton Anderson
• Richard Amiel
• Rodney McGuire
• Robert Dean
• Orlando Pena
• Dolan Jose
• Todd Bowers
• Raymond Martinez
• Andrew Gardner
• Adrian Edmeades
• Christian DeVaras
• Christopher Kinds
• Nick Crossley
• Andrew Simeon
• Toby Poole
• Gareth Bretherton
• Joe Ryan
• Paul Shipp

Japan Tour

• Krupp 1 – Hideaki Kamimura
• Krupp 2 – Michael Skyers

Las Vegas

• Nelson Yee
• Chris Galen

Mexico

• Efrain Gonzalez

On Ice

• Mark Naylor

Second US tour

• (cut)

UK Tour

• (cut)

New Zealand Tour

• (cut)

Purse

London

• Koffi Missah
• Robin Wright
• Gary Cordice
• Stephen Russell
• Robert Yeal
• Marco Ferraro
• Sandy Rass
  Sandy Rass
  Sandy Rass is a British songwriter/producer of Fast Food Rockers and others, and a singer, dancer and actor, and a psychology graduate and statistician, achieving First Class Honours for his BSc, and being awarded the highest grade of Distinction for his MSc, graduating top in both, and receiving...
  
  
• Stuart Sweeting
• David Hulston
• Sebastian Craig
• Martin Matthias
• Todd Talbot

Broadway

• Gordon Owens

Japan/Australia

• WayneWilliams

First US Tour

• Michael Demby Cain
• Jamie

Bochum

• Christopher Todd
• Hans Langen
• Marco Kraemer
• Robert Hardware
• Gary Albers
• Tobby Lee Hutaff
• Mike Jackson
• James Whittington
• Michael Clauder
• Steven Seale
• Gianni Salvucci
• Ian Oswald
• Reginald H. Jennings

Japan Tour

• Sebastian Craig

Las Vegas

• Marvin Engran
• Terence Yancey
• Reginald H. Jennings
• R. T. Smith

Mexico

• Erick Frias

On Ice

• Brent Frank

Second US tour

• Aaron Coulson

UK Tour

• Matthew Boulton
• Ben Draper
• Lee Lomas

New Zealand Tour

• Ben Nichols

Wrench

London

• Carole Amphlett
• Zoe Caryl
• Sam Lane
• Michelle-Anne Musty
• Samantha Biddulph
• Sophie Hamilton
• Tara Wilkinson
• Jane Housley
• Sharon Mudie
• Pippa Gebette
• Amy Field
• Kate Alexander

Broadway

• Christina Youngman

Japan/Australia

• Louise Conte

First US Tour

• Renee Lynette Chambers

Bochum

• Louise Conte
• Gabriella Almerigi
• Annemiek Kloek
• Dawn Leigh-Woods
• Nicky Forsyth
• Andrea Leslie
• Juliette Verne
  Juliette Verne
  Juliette Verne is the Founder and Director of Urban Dance Centre along with her partner Douglas Blaikie....
  
  
• Melanie Housley Cozens
• Ruth Anderson
• Giorgia Barberi
• Kirsty Wone
• Kati Heidibrecht
• Emma Nelson
• Melissa Keyes
• Rebecca Lisewski
• Peelee
• Michael Byrne
• Marc McFadyen
• Joe Ryan

Japan Tour

• Miwako Montani

Las Vegas

• Natasha Rennalls
• Nicole Discola
• Sheri Kush

Mexico

• Angelica Sotomayor

On Ice

• Lisa Dernsio

Second US tour

• Robyn Hurder

UK Tour

• Ruthie Stephens
• Bekki Carpenter
• Amy Webb

New Zealand Tour

• Hannah Kee

Volta

London

• Voyd
• Caron Cardelle
• C Jay Ranger
• Ruth Welby
• Nicky Lawson
• Lyndi Oliver
• Marissa Dunlop
• Rebekka Gibbs
• Stephanie Spellman
• Danielle Harley
• Amanda Valentine
• Gabrielle Noble
• Louise Jones

Broadway

• Mary Ann Lamb
• Dorie Herndon

Japan/Australia

• Amanda Abbs

First US Tour

• Kimberly A Gladman

Bochum

• Leesa Osborn
• Dawn Leigh-Woods
• Christine Walsh

Japan Tour

• Volta 1 – Leah-Sue Morland
• Volta 2 – Yuriko Takamori

Las Vegas

• Anne M Tiger
• Kelly Love
• Paula Carlyle

Mexico

• Marisol Del Olmo

On Ice

• Lisa Bell

Second US tour

• Suzanne Wogisch

UK Tour

• Lauren Brooke
• Rebecca Lisewski
• Saskia Lockey
• Carla Pullen

New Zealand Tour

• Olivia Wakem

Joule

London

• Debbie Wake
• Becky Norman
• Annabel Daniels
• Estefania Alimbau
• Rebecca Price
• Rebecca Holland
• Casey-Lee Jolleys
  Casey-Lee Jolleys
  Casey-Lee Jolleys is a British actress, dancer and performer.Originally from Billinge in Wigan, Lancashire, Jolleys began performing at an early age and by the age of nine, had become a three-time World Champion in Ballet, Tap and Modern dance styles, making television appearances in the...
  
  
• C Jay Ranger
• Sascha Kane
• Simone White
• Lisa Beckwith
• Emma Dodd

Broadway

• Nicole Pickard
• Kimberly Blake

Japan/Australia

• Joule 1 – Bonita Byrg
• Joule 2 – Pollyanna Buckingham

First US Tour

• Angela Pupello
• Chera Wilson

Bochum

• Janina Baucke
• Annika Sundstroem
• Stephanie Spellman
• Amanda Clarke
• Louanne Madorma
• Carrie Green
• Janeen Amico
• Mayuni Omagari
• Kathleen Mullin
• Dorina Maltschewa
• Kirsty Wone
• Marides Lazo
• Amanda Foad
• Leanne Garretty
• Emma-Katie Adcock
• Rachelle Walker

Japan Tour

• Joule 1 – Frances Wingate
• Joule 2 – Lauren O’Reilly

Las Vegas

• Jennifer Bizik
• Natasha Rennalls
• Raquel Baldwin
• Gary Albers

Mexico

• Karen Juantorena

On Ice

• Anne MacWilliams

Second US tour

• Kelly Stensland

UK Tour

• Danielle-Leigh Morris
• Holly James
• Emma Stephens

New Zealand Tour

• Melanie Firbank