Verity Studios drones shine in Starlight Express

Article copied from Verity Studios, News page

Lucie® micro drones take center stage in the popular

Andrew Lloyd Webber musical in Bochum, Germany.

Verity Studios AG, the global leader in indoor drone technology, and Mehr! Entertainment, Germany’s largest theatre group, announced last week that 28 Lucie micro drones are performing in STARLIGHT EXPRESS as part of the musical’s 30th year on stage.

The rock musical STARLIGHT EXPRESS tells the story of a child’s toy trains magically coming to life and racing against each other to be crowned the fastest engine in the world. Underdog Rusty ultimately wins the race and the heart of first-class coach Pearl when he is inspired by the legend of the Starlight Express.

Verity’s Lucie micro drones create a magical moment as they circle and interact with Rusty in the emotional pinnacle of the show: the Starlight Sequence.

Managing Director Burkhard Koch said the micro drones played a key part in the reimagination of the musical for its 30th year on stage. “STARLIGHT EXPRESS is the longest running musical in the world. It even has the Guinness World Record for the most visitors to a musical in a single theatre.

To keep surprising people, we needed to create a spectacle, a “wow” moment. Verity’s sparkling drones bring some unexpected magic to the show.”

The 28 Lucie micro drones perform their choreographies autonomously and are operated entirely by STARLIGHT EXPRESS staff. “It’s fantastic that such a sophisticated system is so easy for us to use,” said Koch. “We’ve used the system for 13 public performances now, and we haven’t had a single hiccup.”

Verity’s drones have played starring roles in other musicals, notably as dancing lampshades on Broadway in Paramour by Cirque du Soleil. But this is the first time 28 Lucie micro drones have completely circled an actor on stage. “Immersive experiences are becoming increasingly popular as a form of artistic expression. But when we’re flying our drones so close to performers or audience members, safety is of utmost importance,” said Verity founder Raffaello D’Andrea. “This is why we have designed our indoor drone system with safety and reliability in mind. To date, our drones have completed over 30,000 autonomous flights, safely above people, in more than 20 countries. It’s a testament to the safety and reliability of our technology.”

The new STARLIGHT EXPRESS opened to a crowd of over 1600 on the 12th of June after six successful previews. The 2018 season will continue with 7 shows per week from Wednesday till Sunday.

To purchase tickets or get more information about Starlight Express in Bochum, visit

www.starlight-express.de