In this episode I get together with the one and only, Michal Fraley! Skate coach of Starlight Express and author of, "Skating The Starlight Express" ! It this episode, Michal shares some incredible history and insights from his 30-plus year journey on the Starlight Express.

BOOK: A Memoir by Michal Fraley

How does a boy from a small California town end up traveling the world—teaching roller-skating?

Starlight Express, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s immensely popular, long running musical about racing trains is performed entirely on roller skates.

Skating The Starlight Express tells the story of how Michal, hired to coach and train the performers of the Broadway production “to be comfortable on their skates”, went on to become the trainer for Starlight productions around the world.

Michal gives you a glimpse behind the scenes and reveals some of the challenges the actors face (his Skate School training is just one!) in preparing themselves for performing Starlight Express on stage.

Michal began tearing up the sidewalks of his neighborhood on his clamp-on skates at the age of five. On his seventh birthday his parents took him to the local roller rink. Three months later he won his first competition and never looked back. Teaching since the age of 19, Michal has trained recreational, competitive artistic and speed skaters, as well as over 600 performers for productions of Starlight Express around the world.