YMTC 2024
The most recent production!
(DISCLAIMER! This is a Dave Malloy fansite. His real website is here)
After another round of workshops with YMTC the previous summer, a new production of Don't Stop Me took place in Feburary 2024. This version was with the same company, at the same theater, with many of the same creatives and directors on board. They also re-created the original 2015 set, with some small upgrades (and major upgrades in the projection design and lighting). An entirely new cast, of course, and some major changes to the book as far as character interactions. Though the overall pacing and song placement remains the same, with the exeption of a new song replacing Needy!
This one is extra cool because I know some Malloysical mutuals who actually were able to see it! So their experience and photos are a welcome addition to the archive here. They've told me that despite heavy changes, it feels a lot more like the 2015 production than any of the more recent ones, even undoing the new "Mo ending" that the 2022 MSM version added.
During this version, the actors and creators have been very active online and with fans, so we have a lot of trivia.
History:
Don't Stop Me show trailer
Don't Stop Me Trailer from Youth Musical Theater Company on Vimeo.
DSM - a YMTC History
DSM - a YMTC History from Youth Musical Theater Company on Vimeo.
Cast:
| Grace Wexler | Inez Aboitiz Wolf |
| Tye Spring | Hana Phipps |
| Cyrus Abraham | DaMarcus Gray |
| Harper Perkins | Anna McGarry |
| Janelle Duncan | Alex Cooper Cohen |
| Rodger Dickson | Jonah Pagenhart |
| Dakota Scott | Dahlia Saffouri |
| Royshanna Bellamy | Kailamae Sands |
| Nicki Beale | Scarlett Currier |
| Ellie Valle | Charlotte Ragones |
| Zander Valle, u/s Cyrus | Keli'i Salvador |
| Samson Cooper, u/s Tye | Ellia Blank |
| Jaynie Edison | Hyacinth Taylor |
| Mo Doyle, u/s Rodger | Ernst Wang |
| The DJ | Kevin Singer* |
| Ensemble | Emma Ruth (u/s Dakota, Ellie), Esther Davis (u/s Royshanna), Ikaika Salvador (u/s Zander, Samson), Maggie Tanios (u/s Grace, Harper), Mayo Arbues (u/s Jaynie, Mo), Mirella Piccolboni (u/s Janelle), Vivian Roston (u/s Nicki) |
*member of Actors Equity
Photos
Trivia
Kevin Singer, the actor for the DJ, said that his distinctive harsh growly voice was inspired by Dave Malloy's own voice in the Great Comet of 1812. Kevin is also a fan of Dave's other musicals Great Comet and Octet.
Janelle and Cyrus' new, non-romantic and much more genuine relationship was suggested and developed by their actors Alex Cooper Cohen and DaMarcus Gray.
During the scene when the commentator's unplug the DJ booth, they hold up a huge power strip with fake plugs going into it. THis was a prop made specifically for the show.
During the "livestream" segments, comments can be seen floating over the live footage from the onstage camera. Many of these comments have usernames with little references in them, such as:
- Pierrecomet12
- Mall_Dave76
- Knight&Day
Gabe Wilkie-Rogers, who had been an ensemble member during the 2015 YMTC production of Don't Stop Me, was the stage manager for this show!
In addition, original 2015 YMTC actors Samuel Ponder (Mo), Aya Newman (Jaynie), and Tyler Miller (Tye) all came to see the new version.
Both the set and the majority of the choreography are a direct copy of the 2015 YMTC production.