About Shining Time station: Live!

From what we know, Shining Time Station Live! toured the United States between June, 1993 up to early 1996. The one hour show was sponsored nationally by ERTL, famous for their line of die-cast metal Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends characters. Shining Time Station Live! was originally conceived and directed by New York Director/Choreographer Michael Davids. Troy Thomas was the Producer with Michael Daughtry as the company and stage manager. The overall cross-country  tour was managed by Deborah Strafella.

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Shining Time Station Live! performed mainly in shopping malls , schools and at special events.  The troupe toured cross-country all year long, taking only a break from the busy schedule during the week of December 25th. Performances were limited to the weekends during the school year, but the actors were much busier during the months of July and August where they worked five and sometimes six days a week. Up to three performances a day were racked up with full capacity crowds attending, sometimes numbering up daily to 4,000 parents and children. 

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Here's what we've been able to piece together about the 1 hour stage show.

The show opens with the cast leading the audience in singing traditional sing-along tunes such as Down by the Station, followed by performers clog dancing to a rendition of Thomas will be Comin' 'Round the Mountain. After this number, a large-scale replica of Thomas measuring 17 feet long, 8 feet tall and wide is wheeled out onto the stage and introduced to the audience.

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The cast members then invite children from the audience on stage to participate in a trivia game about the show (the audience is also encouraged to help by shouting out their answers as well!). Thomas whistles at the correct answers, and whooshes steam at the incorrect ones. After the trivia game, we're introduced to the main performance of the live show, which also includes additional musical and dance numbers to help tell the story.

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The Story... 

Richard (Matthew Sears) is a boy who wants to become an train engineer when he grows up. However the lad does not want to wait until he's old enough to be trained how to operate a steam engine safely. The impatient Richard hops into Thomas' cab and tries to drive the engine. Chaos ensues when Richard realizes that he doesn't know what all of the controls are for and ends up derailing Thomas.

All is made right again with the rescue by Richard's friends, Casey (Bill Whitefield), Brian (Joseph Favalora), and Brenda (Tanesha Gary), who help put Thomas back on track. Richard learns his lessons that we must all learn how to be patient, and that people can accomplish almost anything when they work together.

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After the show, the audience is invited to meet the cast members for autographs and to receive a Thomas pin as a memento. The big draw of course was to allow children to get a closer look at Thomas and to have their photograph taken with the famous blue tank engine. Other after-show activities included the showing of the latest Thomas the Tank Engines and Friends video on a large-screen TV (In 1993 they watched Daisy and Other Stories).

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Two of the Shining Time Live! cast members (unnamed) are said to have made appearances in a few Shining Time Station episodes, but our research leaves us to believe that these were un-credited cameos or extras.  It should be noted that none of the TV show's regular cast members toured with the production or were part of the show.