Six years ago, I had the privilege of sitting down with a man whose quiet influence shaped one of the most extraordinary theatrical experiences of our generation. Michal Fraley was not just a skate coach. He was a guide. A craftsman. A steady presence in the storm of one of the most physically demanding shows ever created. Born on September 1, 1959, in Santa Rosa, California, Michal’s journey would carry him across continents and into the core of Starlight Express history. What many may not know is that his role went far beyond teaching performers how to skate. He became the resident skate coach for multiple productions around the world — including the United States, the United Kingdom, Las Vegas, touring companies, and the long-running production in Bochum, Germany. For decades, if you stepped into Starlight Express, you likely stepped through Michal’s training. He taught balance. He taught fear management. He taught discipline under pressure. And in a show where speed and spectacle could easily overpower substance, Michal insisted on control, awareness, and artistry. That’s what made him special. He understood that skating wasn’t just technical — it was emotional. Performers arrived talented but often terrified. He guided them through that transformation. He helped them find confidence on wheels. He helped them trust themselves. In our interview six years ago, we spoke about more than choreography and technique. We spoke about the arc of the performer’s journey — how mastering the physical demands of the show mirrors mastering life itself. Fear. Frustration. Breakthrough. Growth. Grace under pressure. Michal later captured many of his reflections in his memoir, Skating the Starlight Express, where he wrote about the deeper lessons hidden inside the work — how the struggle to stay upright on wheels is not so different from the struggle to stay centered in life.

About six years ago, I had the privilege of interviewing 37 Starlight Express alumni. We laughed. We remembered. We reflected on what that season of life meant to each of us. Since then, some of those voices have gone quiet. Before I begin sharing new interviews as part of Voices of Starlight, I want to pause and honor the alumni and members of our Starlight family who are no longer with us. This video is for them. We honor: Michael Sundin Michael Scott Gregory Nils Seibaek Kevyn Waby Michael Carl King Stevie Woods Abraham Osuagwu Tony Millett Jimmie Earl Perry Marc-Anthony Satan Michael Staniforth William "Bill" Christopher Frey Annemiek Kloek Ken Rose Christopher Todd Danny Strayhorn Tom Jobe Mark Villa Rodney McGuire Victor L. Butler Barry K. Bernal Glenn Neate Philip Clayton Stephanie Lawrence Derick McNally Erin Lordan Tobby Lee Hutaff Ricardo (Villareal) Santo Roger Kachel Robert S Drummond III Lovette George Martin Boothe David Reynolds Matt Beadle Ray Strachan Geoffrey Abbott Richard Amiel Dustin Dubreuil Rebekka Gibbs Chris Hornby Steven M Schultz Neale Pirie Wilton Anderson Frankie Braxton Maru Duenas Sean Garvey Kevin Neil Cheatham Simon Caine Richie Pitts Graham Martin Samantha Foxx Nolan Federick Lon Satton Preston Simpson Kirsty Wone Ron Garza C.C. Brown Tim Noble David Enriquez Michal Fraley Shezwae Powell Eddie Kemp Philip Edwards Marvin Engran Ron Morgan Richard Bodkin Spencer Stafford Ian Freeman Lee Lomas Paul Reeves Ian Cross Each name represents a life that helped shape something extraordinary. For those of us who were part of Starlight Express, we understand what that bond meant — the discipline, the travel, the late nights, the friendships that crossed countries and decades. And to the young performers skating the show today — and those who will in the future — you are carrying forward something built by these very artists. You are standing on the shoulders of people who gave their talent, their strength, and their heart to this production.

There are seasons in life when you feel something calling you back. Not to relive the past… But to honor it. To understand it. To preserve it. For the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of sitting down with nearly 40 Starlight Express alumni — listening to stories that still carry the electricity of that first audition, that first roll onto the stage, that first opening night when the lights hit and the music surged through the body. Now… it’s time to begin sharing them. The interview below — one of the first I ever did — is just the starting point. And over the next several months, I’ll be unveiling something very special. This project is about defining moments. • Where were you when you first heard about the audition? • What was it like to step into that audition room? • What did the rehearsal process demand of you — physically, emotionally, spiritually? • What did opening night feel like? • And now, looking back… what does Starlight Express mean to you today? This isn’t just nostalgia. It’s legacy. It’s growth. It’s the evolution of who we were… and who we’ve become. And here’s the exciting part — If you are Starlight alumni… even if we’ve already done an interview together… I would love to reconnect and do an updated conversation. Time gives us perspective. Perspective gives us wisdom. Wisdom deserves to be shared. Reach out to me. I’ll send you the questions. We’ll schedule time. We’ll record it live on video. Over the next several months, I’ll be revealing more about where this is headed — and trust me, this is going to be something very special for all of us who ever laced up those skates and felt that roar. This is about honoring the journey. The sweat. The fear. The triumph. The brotherhood and sisterhood. The Voices of Starlight Express are still strong. And we’re just getting started. ✨

Some artists leave a mark. Others leave a current. @Ray Shell has always been the latter. For many of us connected to Starlight Express, Ray is inseparable from the show’s early electricity — the voice, the drive, the authority that made the track feel alive. But what matters most today isn’t only what Ray was on stage. It’s what he continues to become. I had the privilege of sitting down with Ray for a video interview in 2021. What stayed with me wasn’t nostalgia or war stories — it was clarity. A man comfortable in his skin, honest about the road, and deeply committed to the work still ahead. Forged by the Work Ray comes from a generation that understood discipline as respect — for the craft, the ensemble, and the audience. Shows like Starlight Express demanded more than talent. They demanded endurance, focus, and humility. You earned your place every night. Ray earned his — and never forgot the cost. That grounding shaped everything that followed. The Man at Work Today What inspires me most about Ray now is this: he never stopped creating. Today, Ray is actively shaping the next generation of artists as the Artistic Director of TAIP (Total Artist in Production) Lab in North Carolina. This isn’t a vanity project or a legacy perch. It’s a working laboratory — a place where artists are trained to think, to build, to fail forward, and to understand the full ecosystem of storytelling. He’s also deeply engaged as a writer and developer. His novel Iced continues its journey toward film adaptation, proving that stories evolve when the storyteller stays brave. His musical work — including Star Boy — remains alive and in motion, blending history, identity, and music in ways that feel both intimate and expansive. Alongside this, Ray continues to direct theatre, coach voices, and mentor performers across disciplines. His influence quietly threads through rehearsal rooms, classrooms, and studios — often unseen, always felt.

I want to share a moment that truly shifted something in me. Right after the tribute video during our Starlight Express reunion, there was a stillness. The kind of quiet that only shows up when hearts are full and memories are standing close. Then @Arlene Phillips spoke. What she shared wasn’t prepared or polished. It was real. Present. From the heart. She spoke about the legacy of Starlight Express. About how many extraordinary people have been part of this show across the world. About how time keeps moving and how many of our friends and colleagues we’ve already lost. And she said something that mattered deeply. That if there were a way to connect alumni from all the productions and to capture their stories, it would be phenomenal. Not just who we were in the show, but who we became because of it. Those words landed right in my chest. Because this was never just a show. It was a defining chapter in people’s lives. For some, a doorway. For others, a lifeline. For many, a thread that shaped friendships, courage, artistry, and direction long after the lights went down. That moment is what you’re hearing in the short clip I’m sharing. And it’s why I’ve decided to begin The Starlight Express Alumni Project. This project is about honoring journeys, not performances. Stories, not spotlights. Every production. Every country. Every role. Onstage. Backstage. Creative teams. Office teams. One contract or a lifetime with the show. Every path matters. If you are a Starlight Express alum and feel called to be part of this project, I invite you to reach out to me directly. If you’d like your story documented, If you’d like to share what this show meant in your life, If you believe, as I do, that remembering is an act of love, Please connect with me. This is about Living Strong by honoring what shaped us, while we still can. And this is just the beginning.