#starlight express poppa

[phopollo]

Poppa & Memphis draft designs for my Stex cartoon idea upon ye

Let's hear it for old people and the other 2/3 of the parental polycule <3

[trealtox]

When Rusty asks Pearl to race with him she says that there is an engine of her dream that noone can replace. She specifies that it has to be the steam engine. I have checked and can tell, that there are only two steamers there: Rusty and Poppa/Momma. And since Pearl is not satisfied with Rusty, then can she be interested in *cough* more experienced *cough* engine?👀

[ruhrgoldie]

Have this poppa

[i-may-not-be-first-class]

StEx Appreciation Month Day 12: Poppa/Momma 🚂

Steve Fowler (Broadway 1987, first cast); Gregory McKinnon (Bochum 1988, understudy)

Favourite Actor: Steve Fowler, David E. Moore, Reginald Holden Jennings, Reva Rice, Rochelle Sherona

Favourite Songs/Scenes: The Blues, Light 💡

Favourite Costume: Broadway but I do enjoy the glasses he wore in Bochum

Favourite Ships: Poppa × Belle

Unpopular Opinions: imo Poppa/Momma should be played by both male and female performers

[welcome-to-the-districts]

Notes on the Rolling Stock: Steam Locomotives

This has a series of notes on the steamers or Steam Locomotives in this AU. Post under the cut.

Steamers are the oldest breed of rolling stock. They have the strongest instincts of all the rolling stock, making them the most dangerous of the rolling stock to work with. Before the war, attacks on humans were rar. Now, after the war, attacks are more common, depending on where you go.

Steamers are carnivorous by nature. They’re the only rolling stock known to be carnivorous. They will take anything they can take down, except for other rolling stock. Attacks on humans have happened in the past and still happen. Steamers are ambush predators, often lying in wait before snatching their prey. In terms of killing the prey, they often go for the windpipe with a strong bite. Young steamers, like cats, tend to bat around their prey before eating it.

Steamers share a lot in common with rolling stock in terms of attack, but there is a few that makes them stand out from the rest. They’re capable of spitting fire like a dragon. This happens when the fire in their fireboxes rises to a certain point. The intensity of the fire is dictated by certain emotions. For example, a steamer that’s angry, will result in a more intense and much hotter flame. The second being the headbutte.

Steamers often live solitary lives, but tend to allow others of their kind and other rolling stock to share territory with them. Groups are rare but loosely knit. Steamers are the only rolling stock able to climb, besides Electrics. Steamers have been known to be benevolent towards humans, especially Poppa, Momma and Rusty. However, you must keep in mind they’re dangerous and powerful predators that can turn on you in an instant.

They have the strongest bite force of all the rolling stock, capable of crushing or shattering a rolling stock’s bones, which are made of iron or steel, within the blink of an eye. A steamer’s beast form is draconian in appearance, which may have inspired tales of dragons.

Steamers have certain calls that are used for different purposes.

Steamers chirp as a greeting towards humans or others of their kind. It can be used as a means of expressing excitement. It literally sounds like this:

They can chitter to express contentment or happiness. This is their equivalent to a purr. Can also be used to call for their young. Poppa and Momma do this often. It sounds similar to Toothless’ own chitter from How To Train Your Dragon, which has an example below:

Please refer to the following time stamps: 1:37, 1:42, 1:51, and 1:55

A hiss is clearly a sign of aggression. This isn’t even the most terrifying sound they can make. This is often used as a warning to other rolling stock and humans alike, often accompanied with a display of their teeth. It’s best to avoid a hissing steamer and heed its warning.

This the most puzzling one. They can make some sort of tiger like moo. No one knows what this is for. Some speculate a sign of being annoyed, others claim it’s just a sign of laziness. Diesels also make this sound. An example can be seen below:

The other call diesels and steamers share is a chuffing sound. This is a greeting used by most older steamers. Can be used as a means to see if the steamer is calm or playful. Chirps mean a more playful steamer. Chuffs mean a more calm steamer. An example can be seen below:

All engines can roar. However, steamers and diesels alike have much deeper roars than electrics. Here’s an example below:

[tabooi]

Starlight Express, Bochum 1989

[bogusbyron]

stex bits and bobs, & my components designs. ive actually changed a couple of them slightly since i did those refs LOL but theres no huge changes, krupp just has different makeup & his outfit shape resembles OBC a bit more.

plus the usual cheater boys stuff cause uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[dinahdoeeyes]

My ideal production of Starlight Express.

I suppose I'll just get right into it. First the list of characters, then the songs (excluding little bits/non-songs like Taunting Rusty and the races), then the rest.

Cast:

Rusty

Pearl

Greaseball

Dinah

Electra

CB

Ashley

Buffy

Poppa

Belle, the Sleeping Car (called Memphis Belle)

Dustin

Flat-Top

The Rockies

Volta, Joule, Wrench, Purse, and Krupp

The original National Engines

Duvay and the Sleepers

Control

Setlist (* = will be addressed below):

Entry Of National Trains

Rolling Stock

Call Me Rusty

A Lotta Locomotion ('83 Workship version, but with Buffy added)

He Whistled At Me (Minus the Rusty/Pearl conversation)

*Dinah/Greaseball duet

Freight (With the girls bullying the boys)

AC/DC

Pumping Iron ("Trying to build my body, trying to lose my mind" and "Stretching my bullworker, heaving on my weights" switch spots because I just feel that it'd sound better that way.)

Sleepers moment

*Dinah solo

Hitching and Switching (probably original)

Crazy

*That was Unfair (extended)

That's Me/There's Me (duet)

Poppa's Blues

Belle's Song (Combo of OG & Broadway — especially "sniffing the coke")

Starlight Express

The Rap: Hey You

*Make Up My Heart

Pearl Twirl

U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D.

Girls' Rolling Stock

Wide Smile (Mostly the Broadway version, except he says the OG "...C.B." in the chorus instead of Broadway's "...the Red Caboose," until the ending after Electra & co leave.)

I Was Robbed

Right Place, Right Time

I Am The Starlight

Rusty and Dustin

*Dinah's Disco (extended)

No Comeback

One Rock & Roll Too Many

I Do and/or Only You (I really want "I Do," and it feels redundant to do both in a row, but I feel like "Only You" is important?)

*GreaseDinah reunion (extended)

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Starlight Express Megamix (of course)

Notes:

We are leaning hard into the 80's here! None of that trying to modernize StEx they've been doing since the 90's. It doesn't work, and the hyper-80's...ness is one of the best things about StEx!

This is about 60% the 1984 original, so keep that in mind.

Dinah & Greaseball look most like the original Dinah and Greaseball. (Though Dinah's hair looks like this. I'll get to her costumes below.) Greaseball looks completely like Jeff Shankley's GB.

Most of the costumes look like the Broadway versions.

However, Pearl gets 3 costumes; her pants outfit from the '84 previews (but with white pants), followed by her sleek Broadway dress outfit (w/ Electra), and then the fluffy dress outfit (w/ GB).

Dinah has 2 costumes; the first one being more Broadway (but I dislike the leggings, so different ones), and then, when she pairs with Electra, she changes to an outfit that is similar to her OG outfit.

C.B.'s look is very similar to the original, except his pants are black, and he has his later hat.

I want some of the choreography from the '83 workshop. ( x x x x )

Dinah & Greaseball banter a bit because "Incapable of feeding yourself, Greaseball?" Ohhh *chef's kiss* 2017 London Workshop did something right!

*Dinah & Greaseball get a couple's duet. It's a fun, cute, rock/80's pop mix song that touches on their love for each other and how they don't care about others' bullshit. ("Our Lips Are Sealed" kind of vibes, I suppose.)

Ashley and Duvay are sisters.

Greaseball pulls the girls during "Freight," like he originally did.

*Dinah gets a solo after "Pumping Iron" after the Sleepers talk their bullshit. It'd be about 3½ minutes long. If you've read my Dinah rants, you can get an idea of what it's about.

Greaseball, Bobo, and Espresso are part of the choreography during "Crazy" toward the end, racing around with Dinah, Ashley, and Buffy. (I promise this is FIRE in my head. Have faith. 🥺)

*Grease & Dinah have a longer argument before their breakup.

Dinah and C.B. have a duet. It's the Broadway version of There's Me combined with That's Me. (Dinah singing her solo part first.)

*Pearl sings "Make Up My Heart" about Rusty, Electra, and Greaseball. (Explanation here.)

*"U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D." is slower, sadder, and has more lyrics, like it was in the '83 workshop.

Buffy & Ashley are finally canon. It's Complicated™️, but they get it together by the end.

*"Dinah's Disco" is a bit longer, as is *Dinah & Greaseball's reunion/makeup.

Pearl is absolutely like original Pearl in this: A selfish bitch (who learns and gets better by the end); she is not "naive." ("Further from my vision" over "Sadder but no wiser.")

We actually acknowledge that Pearl is an asshole. But, like Greaseball, she learns and is working on herself by the end! 🙌🏽

Pearl apologizes to Dinah at the end. FINALLY. (During a break in LATEOTT.)

Control loves the trains/coaches/freight, and they love him. He's just a bossy little kid, but they're also actin' up. (I'm open to Control being a girl.)

Electra and the Components do come back.

I... think that's it. I hope didn't forget anything.

CHOO CHOO! 💋

[tabooiart]

STEX APPRECIATION MONTH DAY 16: (POPPA/MOMMA) MCCOY

spent a lot of time deliberating on whether I should draw Momma or Poppa but ended up deciding on Poppa since I feel like he gets less art

Favorite Actor(s):

Poppa: Lon Satton, Steve Fowler, Lothair Eaton

Momma: Reva Rice!!! Jade Marvin also does really well :)

Favorite Song/Scenes: I love all of their scenes with Rusty and the freight sooo much. Also Light At The End Of The Tunnel is such a good and underrated scene with some great vocal moments for McCoy!!

Favorite Costume(s): When it comes to Poppa, I think the Japan/Aus Tour really nailed the shapes and colors!!!! For Momma I like her Bochum costume except I don't like her skirt she wears in act 2. I don't understand their insistence on all the female characters wearing skirts just let her have overalls!!

Favorite Ships/Friendships: McCoy x Memphis Belle goes hard ngl. We could have had old lesbiansss. And of course I love them as a parental figure to Rusty and the freight!!! But I think they would offer advice and affection to anyone who came to them :)

Headcanons: The reason McCoy is still in such good condition despite their age is that they're kept around as one of those touristy steam train tours.

Unpopular Opinion: I like Momma and Poppa equally!!! In my ideal world it would be a genderblind role. On that note I am a #poppadefender4life I've seen people be so mean about him in the past, calling him manipulative etc and I really just think people need to examine why they really feel that way <3

[wonderful-magician]

Rusty, and Poppa and Momma!

Rusty, his adoptive father and his adoptive aunt... Might make Rusty a starlight express variant but idk yet

[eternal-moss]

When people continually whitewash my favourite characters.

[ID: A black and white, rough digital drawing of someone sitting at a desk and clutching their head in their hands. End ID.]

^thank you @describe-things

[phopollo]

You too said "Poppa x Momma x Belle rights!!!"

I sure did!

Live footage from right after Momma and Belle won champion status

[montygatorguy]

ough i wanna see what the uk 2024 stex characters would look like in the bochum costume style so bad

[waksworldrebooted]

“Rusty, why are you feeling sad?”

“I got no hope!”

Doodle of the bit after Poppa’s Blues and before Belle’s introduction.

[cameronmitchelljohn]

i always see people shipping poppa and belle (og belle not. 2024 belle) but nobody shipping momma and belle WHERE ARE MY OLD LESBIANSSS!!!!!

[tobbogan-13]

ok so the starlight express is like the train god right? (i think so atleast)

so is there a train religion?

but poppa mentions the angel gabriel in light at the end of the tunnel

im so confused about poppas religious affiliation