Q. This year marks the 25th anniversary of DMTC. What inspired you to start a theater company?
Jan: I graduated from Sac State in theater arts with an emphasis in theater management, and it was always my dream to have a year-round musical theater company.
Steve: She woke me up one night and said, “We’re starting a musical theater tomorrow.” The rest is music history (laughs). Actually, I’ve been involved in theater since high school, have been a percussionist since age 4 and studied music composition at Sac State, and I use that training as musical director of our shows.
Q. What’s unique about DMTC?
Jan: It’s all volunteer. The only one who is paid is the piano player.
Steve: You can do musical theater without an orchestra, but you can’t do it without a piano player. We pay our piano players very well. The orchestra gets a cookie and a drink at intermission.
Q. Looking back, how would you sum up this 25-year journey?
Steve: It’s been a long, strange journey.
Jan: For me, it’s been a long, rewarding journey. It’s a true community theater with a family feel, and it’s just been a beautiful, beautiful experience
